Evaluating the first type of seizure and variety of seizures in resistance epileptic patients

Abstract

Objective: Despite the fact that children with epilepsy use multiple antiepileptic drugs, the part of the epileptic group without the seizure control constitutes a resistant epilepsy group. This study evaluates the first type of seizure and the variety of seizures and resistance development that we think might be a risk factor for the development of resistance in epileptic patients.Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively from the files of patients diagnosed with epilepsy who were monitored for at least 2 years between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011, at the Uludag University School of Medicine; Department of Pediatric Neurology.Results: One hundred twenty patients were girls (49%) and 125 were boys (51%). The age range was 1-18 years and the median value was 8.3 (1-18) years. One hundred and twenty of the 245 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for resistant epilepsy were found to be well controlled. In patients with resistant epilepsy, the first seizure type and the variety of seizures were compared in these two groups of patients. It was observed that the most common type of seizure seen in the refractory group was myoclonic seizures (25.6%), whereas the most common type of seizure was generalized seizure with focal onset (34.2%) in well-controlled group. There was statistically significant difference between groups (p<0.05). In terms of seizure types, it was observed that the refractory group included more patients (60.7%) with three or more types of seizure (p<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, we found that the first seizure type and seizure variability were important risk factors for resistance development in epileptic patients.