Epilepsia partialis continua: Clinical and electrophysiological features of adult patients

In this study we reviewed the clinical, electrophysiological and neuroimagi ng data of 21 patients with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC), which is a rare form of epilepsy with focal motor seizures persisting hours to years. We found infections, cerebrovascular events and tumors as the most common c auses of EPC in adults. SSPE was also shown as a cause of EPC. EPC in SSPE patients was resistant to therapies and persisted more than 1 year. EPC is usually a predictor of poor outcome and 29% of patients died after EPC in t his study. As prognosis is usually bad and as response to treatment is poor in patients who had EPC, early diagnosis and treatment of the underlying c ause is important. Although the most common etiologies are infections, cere brovasculer events and tumors, if EPC persists several months SSPE should b e kept in mind as a rare cause of EPC. MRI should be repeated in chronic ca ses to show dysplastic cortex, which was shown in 1 patient in this study.