The First Unprovoked Seizure in Typically Developing Children: A Real-Life Setting in Southern Brazil

The First Unprovoked Seizure in Typically Developing Children: A Real-Life Setting in Southern Brazil, Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, Ahead of Print. AimTo describe the first unprovoked seizure in typically developing children, its clinical characteristics, recurrence rate, and possible risk factors in a real-life setting in Southern Brazil., Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, Ahead of Print.
AimTo describe the first unprovoked seizure in typically developing children, its clinical characteristics, recurrence rate, and possible risk factors in a real-life setting in Southern Brazil.MethodIn this retrospective cohort study, medical records of typically developing children aged 28 days to 14 years who had a first unprovoked seizure in a single tertiary care center were reviewed, in a 10-year period (2006-2016).ResultsSeventy-four children were included, 41 males and 33 females. The most frequent age group of the first seizure was 5 to 10 years and seizure main type was focal (50%). Most seizures occurred while children were awake (70%). All patients underwent an electroencephalogram (EEG), which was normal in 44.6%. Neuroimaging was performed in 81%, in 2 cases the etiology was considered structural, the remaining was classified as unknown. Median follow-up period was 32.5 months. Seizure recurrence rate was 56.7% and age younger than 5 years was a possible risk factor.InterpretationIn the subpopulation of Brazilian typically developing children with a first unprovoked epileptic seizure there is a high recurrence rate. An abnormal EEG was a common finding, although it was not associated with a higher risk of seizure recurrence. A possible risk factor was age younger than 5 years, which may suggest a more rigorous follow-up of these patients., admin,