Clinical Study of Intractable Epilepsy

First Report: Analysis of Factors Associated with Intractability

Abstract

Out of 371 epileptic patients followed more than 3 years in our hospital, 254 patients were free from seizures, of whom 195 had a seizure-free period more than 3 years at the last visit and were served as control group. On the other hand, seizures were uncontrolled in 117 patients and in 54 of them, who were classified as intractable group, seizure frequency did not change or even increased at the last visit. The rate of persistent seizures was high in cases with secondary generalized epilepsy (SGE), especially Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or West syndrome. In some of patients with complex partial seizures (CPS), seizures were poorly controlled. In patients with impaired intelligence or with prenatal or perinatal presumptive causes, seizures tended to be uncontrolled.
In control group, initial treatment was effective in 165 of 195 patients (84.6%), whereas seizures were refractory to early and intensive medical therapy in about 2/3 of the intractable group.