Predictive value of EEG monitoring during drug withdrawal in children withcryptogenic partial epilepsy

In order to evaluate the predictive value of the interictal EEG after disco ntinuation of anticonvulsant therapy in children with cryptogenic partial e pilepsy, a prospective study was carried out on 84 children and adolescents who had been seizure-free for at least 2 years. Twenty-four children (28.6 %) presented one or more relapses. EEG monitoring during drug withdrawal sh owed abnormalities in 67% of the patients (16/24) who relapsed with seizure s, and in 10% of the patients (6/60) who did not relapse. Our study suggest s that in children who have suffered from partial epilepsy, the detection o f paroxysmal abnormalities during drug withdrawal, in a previously normal E EG is a risk factor for recurrence of seizures. It is therefore advocated t hat periodic EEG monitoring be carried out during the drug withdrawal perio d, because the presence of EEG abnormalities is associated with a high prob ability of seizures occurring during or after drug discontinuation. (C) 200 0 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.