I FATTORI INDICATIVI DI RICADUTA ALLA SOSPENSIONE DELLA TERAPIA NEI PAZIENTI CON EPILESSIE PARZIALI

Since 1980 we have adopted a standard protocol for therapy withdrawal in epileptic patients seizure-free for 2-6 years: here are presented the preliminary data on 87 patients with partial epilepsy, followed during the withdrawal period (9 months) and 3 years after suspension or relapse. The series included 24 males and 18 females aged 8-60 years; 20 had complex partial -CP- seizures (11 with sporadic secondary generalization -PGS-), 5 had simple partial -SP- seizures (4 with PSG), 12 had only PSG. Twenty-six patients (70%) relapsed; of these 13 had CP, 5 SP and 8 PSG. Unfavourable factors were: known etiology (perinatal asphyxia, head trauma, meningitis and febrile convulsions), seizure onset after 15 years of age, epileptiform paroxysms at the start of, or during follow-up. The longer it took to control seizures, the higher the rate of relapse, although early therapy did not have a favourable influence on the outcome.