Precipitating factors and therapeutic outcome in epilepsy with generalizedtonic-clonic seizures

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of precipitating factors and therapy on the outcome of epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizu res. Patients anti methods - Retrospective analysis of data from 34 patient s (mean age at seizure onset 19 years; mean duration of follow-up 9.2 years ) suffering from epilepsy of either cryptogenic or remote symptomatic (n=19 ), or idiopathic (n=15) etiology. The total number of seizures in all patie nts was 146. Results Without treatment 97 seizures manifested during 90.5 y ears without treatment (1.07 seizures/year), during treatment with carbamaz epine or valproate 49 seizures occurred within 224 years (0.2 seizures/year ). The frequency of seizures was significantly lower during treatment. Prec ipitating factors were found in relation to 31% of seizures in patients wit h remote symptomatic or cryptogenic epilepsy, and for 51% of seizures in pa tients with idiopathic epilepsy. Conclusions - There was a low frequency of seizures in patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Precipitating factors are common. Antiepileptic drug treatment is effective.