Epilepsy onset between one month and three months of life: Our 11 years experience

Abstract

Introduction

The prognosis of epilepsy is basically determined by its aetiology. Early onset of seizures is generally associated with poor progress.

Material and methods

We review our experience in epilepsy with children born after 1 January 1997 and who had their first seizure between 1 and 3 months of age before January 2008.

Results

Eighteen cases diagnosed with epilepsy and a first seizure between 1 and 3 months of age were included. One case was within the Dravet syndrome spectrum with the c829 T>G c277G heterozygous mutation of the SCN1A gene. Four were cryptogenic epilepsies and thirteen were asymptomatic: 2 were inborn errors of metabolism (biotinidase deficiency with a response to biotin and Leigh's syndrome); 2 were of infectious origin and the remaining nine prenatal encephalopathy. Nine (50%) currently have a severe psychomotor delay and 2 died. The cryptogenic cases had a relatively poor progress.

Conclusions

Our experience corroborates the poor prognosis associated with early onset, between 1 and 3 months, of epileptic seizures. Given the wide aetiological range and the poor prognosis in the absence of specific treatment, an appropriate diagnostic-therapeutic strategy is required to avoid diagnostic uncertainties and can identify potentially treatable cases, such as some inborn errors of metabolism. In this age group, the protocol for convulsions of unknown cause must be the same as that for neonatal convulsions, including treatment with a vitamin cocktail, after collecting biological samples.

Resumen

Introducción

El pronóstico de la epilepsia está determinado fundamentalmente por la etiología; se asocia en general peor evolución con comienzo precoz de las crisis.

Material y métodos

Se revisa nuestra experiencia en epilepsia en niños nacidos después del 1-1-1997 y que presentaron la primera crisis antes de enero de 2008 a los 1–3 meses de edad.

Resultados

Se incluyen 18 casos con el diagnóstico de epilepsia y primera crisis entre 1 y 3 meses de edad. Un caso corresponde al espectro de síndrome de Dravet con la mutación en heterocigosis c829 T>G c277G del gen SCN1A. Cuatro son epilepsias criptogénicas y 13, sintomáticas: 2 errores congénitos del metabolismo (deficiencia de biotinidasa con respuesta a biotina y síndrome de Leigh), 2 de etiología infecciosa y los 9 restantes, encefalopatías prenatales; 9 (50%) tienen un grave retraso psicomotor en la actualidad y 2 fallecieron. En comparación, los casos criptogénicos tuvieron peor evolución.

Conclusiones

Nuestra experiencia corrobora el mal pronóstico asociado al inicio precoz, entre 1 y 3 meses, de las crisis epilépticas. Dado el amplio abanico etiológico y el pronóstico sombrío, en ausencia de tratamiento específico, es obligada una adecuada estrategia diagnóstico-terapéutica que evite incertidumbres diagnósticas e identifique casos potencialmente tratables como algunos errores congénitos del metabolismo. En este grupo de edad el protocolo de convulsiones de causa no aclarada debe ser el mismo que el de las convulsiones neonatales, incluido el tratamiento con cóctel vitamínico, tras la recogida de muestras biológicas.