SEIZURE OCCURRENCE, EEG, AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING FINDINGS IN 61 PATIENTS WITH ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME

Sixty-one human-immunodeficiency-virus (HIV) seropositive patients at various infectious stages who underwent at least one EEG examination w ere retrospectively studied. The seizure occurrence and the EEG as wel l as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of these patients w ere related to the different clinical stages. Results show that the ov erall occurrence of seizures was 65%. Abnormal EEG was found in 93% of patients. The most common EEG abnormality was predominantly anterior symmetric slowing, which was present in 40% of patients having focal E EG slowing on their EEGs. MRI was abnormal in 89% of 54 patients. Cere bral atrophy was the MRI finding in 57% of patients. Cerebral atrophy only was present in 35%, a single focal lesion in 17%, and multiple le sions without atrophy in 15%. A focal lesion with atrophy was found in 17% and multiple lesions together with cerebral atrophy in 5%. There was good correlation among severity of the disease, occurrence of seiz ures, and positive EEG and MRI findings.