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[Non-convulsive status epilepticus].

DEVELOPMENT: Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is an epileptic condition lasting more than 30 minutes in which continuous or recurrent seizure activity on the electroencephalogram (EEG) is responsible for diverse clinical symptoms including alteration of mental state, abnormal behaviour, perception disturbances or consciousness impairment. Most authors recognize two types of NCSE depending on the ictal electroencephalographic changes: generalized (absence status epilepticus) and complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE). In addition, there is also a simple form of partial status which is likely underdiagnosed because of its frequent progression to CPSE, subtle and varied symptomatology and high proportion of normal electroencephalograms (EEG). Absence status epilepticus (ASE) may occur in different clinical situations including idiopathic generalized epilepsy (typical AS), symptomatic generalized epilepsy (atypical AS), and elderly subjects without antecedents of epilepsy on chronic treatment with psychotropic drugs (de novo AS of late onset). Furthermore, CPSE is more frequent than previously mentioned. Although initially was equated with temporal lobe status epilepticus, extratemporal cases of CPSE have been well-documented, and the electroclinical characteristics of two types (I and II) of frontal CPSE have been recently described. NCSE may occur in patients with diverse clinical diagnosis such as hypoxic-anoxic encephalopathy, cancer, drugs, autoimmune disorders, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, chromosomal alterations, peritoneal dialysis, infections, cerebral hamartomas or head trauma. CONCLUSION: The identification of NCSE may be particularly arduous and, therefore, a high level of suspicion is essential to obtain an early diagnosis. An urgent EEG with administration of intravenous benzodiazepines is considered as the method of choice in the diagnostic evaluation of NCSE.

Anticonvulsants↗

Eyelid myoclonia with absences in adults: a clinical and video-EEG study.

We report clinical and video-EEG findings in 11 adults with the syndro me of eyelid myoclonia with absences (EMA). Prevalence was 2.7% among all epilepsies and 12.9% among idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) with typical absences. All patients with EMA were women, with a mean age of 30.9 years and a mean age of 7.8 years at reported onset of eyelid myoclonia. The characteristic seizures, studied with video-EEG in 10 patients, began with and were mainly manifested by eyelid myoclonia, either alone if brief (< or = 2 s) or with associated mild impairment of consciousness if longer. The ictal EEG was characterized by polyspike and slow waves at 3-6 Hz. Ictal clinical and EEG manifestations occurred mainly after eye closure and were inhibited by total darkness. All patients were photosensitive, but photosensitivity decreased with age; nonpatient had self-induced seizures. Infrequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) occurred in all but the youngest patient; they were usually infrequent and were precipitated mainly by flickering lights, sleep deprivation, fatigue, and menstruation. Mild myoclonic jerks of the upper limbs occurred in 6 patients. Eyelid myoclonia was resistant to medication and persisted despite control of other seizures.

Adolescent↗

Sodium valproate: monotherapy and polytherapy.

Of the 605 patients seen since 1973, 336 patients have been treated with sodium valproate (VPA) alone or in combination with drugs other than carbamazepine (CBZ). Of these 336, 240 have been on monotherapy, of whom 200 are seizure-free. Follow up has been longer than 3 years in 78%. Complete control of seizures has been achieved in more than 80% of patients with absence, myoclonic, and primary tonic-clonic seizures, in 72% of those with photosensitive epilepsy including eyelid myoclonia, and in 47% of partial epilepsies, for which carbamazepine was the initial drug of choice. Only 21% of those with myoclonic astatic epilepsy have become free from seizures. At first VPA was given twice daily, but in recent years it was given once daily, as this was more effective. Reasons for failure of VPA therapy are given. Side effects in 436 patients (100 more patients were added for this assessment only) were uncommon, though where they did occur, weight increase was the most frequent. Platelets were reduced without clinical problems. There were no severe hepatic disorders. Serum levels were assessed in seizure-free patients, and the optimum level was between 60 and 120 mg/L (most patients received between 20 and 30 mg/kg). VPA was given during 30 pregnancies, and there was no evidence of teratogenicity on monotherapy. VPA is most effective in primary generalized epilepsy, especially if given as the sole antiepileptic drug. If the daily dose does not exceed 40 mg/kg or 2.5 g, it is singularly free from serious side effects.

Adolescent↗

[Casuistic contribution to the differential diagnosis of the myoclonic syndrome].

Involuntary muscle twitches, which are accompanied by a more or less pronounced effect of motion and which may last for several hours, are a common guiding symptom of a number of neurological syndromes. This paper reports the case of a 24-year-old male who had been suffering since his sixth year from episodic muscular spasms accompanied by attacks of petit mal. These are regarded as representing a myoclonic-epileptic syndrome. In this connection, a distinction has to be made, by differential diagnosis, between the "true" myoclonic syndrome which is characterized by the absence of complications due to attacks of grand mal or petit mal, Kojewnikoff's epilepsy, and the myoclonic-epileptic dementia form of syndrome.

Diagnosis, Differential↗