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| Authors | D Soler H Agius Muscat |
| Abstract | Purpose: To determine the prevalence of active childhood epilepsy in Malta and to verify the applicability of the ILAE classification of seizures and epilepsies / syndromes in this group of children. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive survey of children 0-15 years with active epilepsy was carried out among residents of Malta. The age-specific prevalence rates of epilepsy, type of seizures, epilepsies and recognisable syndromes were determined using the ILAE International Classification of Epileptic Seizures (ICES, 1981) and Epilepsies and Epileptic Syndromes (ICE, 1989). Results: Point prevalence of active epilepsy on 1 January 2000 was 2.4/1,000 of population in children (birth - 15 years of age) (95% CI=2.1-2.79). Seizures were classifiable with certainty in 99% of cases and epilepsy syndromes in 70% of cases. Among the syndromes, cryptogenic and symptomatic partial syndromes occurred in 35%, other generalised idiopathic epilepsies in 11%, childhood absence in 7%, Lennox Gastaut in 6%, West syndrome on 5% and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECT) in 4%. Epilepsy was intractable in 26% of all cases and correlated significantly with symptomatic aetiology, early onset of epilepsy, and with additional, neuroimpairments. Perinatal asphyxia, trauma and brain malformations were the three most common aetiological factors identified. Additional neuroimpairments were present in 106 (52%) of children. Conclusion: The ILAE classification for seizures (ICES) was found to be satisfactory in the majority of cases. Yet a considerable number of epilepsy syndromes were categorised into the heterogeneous non-specific categories of the ICE, which limits the value of the present epilepsy/epileptic syndrome classification in terms of prediction of prognosis and indication for special investigations in individual cases. |
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| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
| Pages | - |
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| Key words | children, prevalence, seizures |