Recent literature on withdrawing antiepileptic drug therapy in patient
s who are seizure free on antiepileptic drugs is reviewed. The average
recurrence risk across studies is 29% at 2 years. Factors such as age
of onset, etiology of seizures, the electroencephalogram and the epil
eptic syndrome influence outcome. Factors that need to be considered b
y the clinician include not just the statistical risk of recurrence bu
t also the consequences of a recurrence, which will be a function of a
ge and sex.