Encephalopathy with epileptic spasms resolved with corticoids in a 69 year-old patient

A 69 year-old man with a history of recent temporal robe seizures, presente d with progressive coma and frequent epileptic spasms. Ictal EEG, PET and S PECT alterations were strikingly similar to those described in infantile sp asms. Conventional antiepileptic drugs were ineffective but the introductio n of corticoids induced a dramatic improvement with disappearance of the sp asms. The etiology remains unknown. Epileptic spasms may occur in the elder ly. If conventional antiepileptic drugs are ineffective, corticoids should be tried immediately.