Clinical profile of childhood focal epilepsies in Jordan

Ürdün’de çocukluk çağı fokal epilepsilerin klinik profili

Abstract

The present study was done in order to obtain a baseline profile of childhood focal epilepsies. Subjects included in this study were children suffering from focal epilepsy with age above 2 years who attended the Pediatric Neurology Clinic in Queen Rania Hospital for Children in Jordan. The data were obtained: age, sex, detailed of seizures type, age at first unprovoked seizure, family history of seizures, history of febrile seizures, etiological, socioeconomic class, additional neuro-impairment, electroencephalography (EEG) and brain imaging finding and the use of antiepileptic drugs, the results were recorded for further study. A total of 100 cases of focal epilepsy were enrolled in the study, 59 were male. Simple partial type recorded in 48%, simple partial with secondary generalization in 17% and complex partial seizure in 35%. In partial onset seizures the peak age was between 11-14 years and complex partial seizures between ages 6-10 years. Twenty-six patients had a family history of epilepsy, 91% of low socioeconomic class. Thirteen % of cases have history of febrile seizures, while symptomatic epilepsy was found in 48%. Twenty-five children had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The most common neurological impairment was learning difficulties with 35%. EEG was normal in 20% and monotherapy was used in 68% and 33% had bad control (intractable). The pattern of focal epilepsies in our country do not differ from that of developed countries, identifying the etiology is important to plan prevention.