CLINICAL COURSES OF PURE SLEEP EPILEPSIES

This study aims to understand seizure control outcomes and the risk of developing new wake seizures (WS) related to the different types of p ure sleep epilepsies (SE), which is important in making rational manag ement plans. A retrospective review of the Yonsei Epilepsy Clinic Regi stry identified 63 patients with pure SE not belonging to any specific epileptic syndromes. They were divided into the group of generalized tonic-clonic seizures during sleep (S-GTCS : n = 21) and the group of partial epilepsies during sleep (S-PE : n = 42) on the basis of seizur e phenomenology, EEG, and neuroimaging data. These patients were follo wed for 2 years and their clinical variables were analysed for seizure control outcomes and development of new WS. Of 21 patients with S-GTC S, 17 achieved a seizure-free outcome and only one patient developed a new WS, which was consistent with a partial-onset secondary GTCS in p henomenology. Of 42. patients with S-PE only 15 patients achieved a se izure-free outcome and 11 patients developed WS during the 2-year foll ow-up period. Higher baseline seizure frequency and longer duration of epilepsy were associated with a higher incidence of new WS. The resul ts suggest that the patients with S-GTCS carry a favorable clinical co urse, thus driving privileges or freedom of daily activities can be co nferred without delay once their seizures are well controlled. However , the seizure control outcome was poor and the development of WS was f requent in patients with recurrent S-PE.