The Comparison of Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics of Epilepsy with Typical Rolandic Spikes and Concomitantly Additional Frontal or Occipital Spikes with Rolandic Spikes

Kim, Min Ah; Kim, Sung Eun; Hwang, Tae Gyu

Abstract

PURPOSE: Recently have there been a few reports that raised the question that Benign Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) could be a spectrum. This study was conducted to identify whether or not the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of typical Rolandic Spikes (RS) are different from those of concomitantly additional frontal or occipital spikes with RS.
METHODS
The consecutive 39 patients who showed centro-temporal spikes were divided into typical RS and RS+ groups. We defined RS+ groups as having concomitantly additional frontal or occipital spikes with RS. The independent variables included clinical data 0(age of onset, a significant antecedent event as part of their etiology of epilepsy, nocturnal seizure, abnormal development, abnormal neurologic examination, pattern of seizure, response to medication for at least 1 year and epilepsy syndrome) and electrophysiological data (dipoles, spikes accentuated during sleep).
RESULTS
Eighty two percents (32/39) of patients were RS, whereas 18% (7/39) were RS+. The median age of onset was 7 years old and only 10% showed significant antecedent events. Eighty six percents (34/39) of patients had BRE as epilepsy syndrome. Neither clinical factors nor electrophysiological characteristics were different between both groups.
CONCLUSION
Although RS+ showed additional spikes more than centro-temporal area, the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of RS+ were not different from those of RS. Centro-temporal with or without additional spikes could be a homogeneous condition rather than a spectrum.