THE INFLUENCE OF FEBRILE SEIZURES AND EPILEPSY COEXISTENCE ON THE COURSE AND ACCOMPANYING SYMPTOMS OF EPILEPSY IN CHILDREN

Objectives: There have been only a few studies concerning the time of the onset and the type of epilepsy which is preceded by febrile seizures (fs). The aim of the study is to evaluate the type of epilepsy, the time of onset and clinical course and accompanying symptoms in cases preceded by febrile seizures.

Methods: The material consist of two groups of children who were observed prospectively: the study group of 70 children with epilepsy and febrile seizures and control group of 215 children with epilepsy only.

Results: In the study group there were more generalized epilepsy cases (p<0.01). In 51children the epilepsy was preceded by simple and 19 by complex febrile seizures. The type of fs didn't influence the type of epilepsy (generalized versus partial). Epilepsy occurred earlier in children in the study group especially in idiopathic and generalized epilepsy (p<0.001). There was no difference in the time of the epilepsy onset concerning the type of fs. In the study group prevailed generalized epilepsy (p<0.01), girls with idiopathic epilepsy (p<0.05). Neurological symptoms, psychomotor delay and learning problems were more frequent in generalized epilepsy in the study group (p<0.001). Two groups didn't differ in the number of children with cluster seizures, epileptic status, intractability and lack of seizures in the last three years of the observation.

Conclusion: 1. Coexistence of fs with generalized epilepsy in children is more frequent than with partial epilepsy. 2. The type of fs doesn't influence the type of epilepsy. 3. The fs coexistence causes earlier time of epilepsy onset especially idiopathic and generalized. 4. Previous occurrence of fs doesn't change the clinical course of epilepsy. 5. Psychomotor delay and neurological symptoms are more frequent in the group of symptomatic generalized epilepsy if it is preceded by fs.