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correspondence

Indian Pediatr 2015;52: 623

Possible Benign Partial Epilepsy


Debopam Samanta

1 Children’s Way, Little Rock, AR 72202, US.
Email: [email protected]
 

 

I read with interest the recent case series in Indian Pediatrics [1]. I appreciate the efforts of the authors for publishing this under-reported epileptic syndrome in India. Through this communication, I wish to seek certain clarifications:

1. Seizure semiology of these patients was not included in the study. Semiology may be helpful to further classify these patients as benign partial epilepsy in infancy with complex partial seizures versus benign partial epilepsy in infancy with secondary generalized seizures (SGS). Though, proposal was made to combine these syndromes in the past, some subtle differences exist such as predominant seizures during wakefulness, and temporal ictal onset with the first entity, but mostly extratemporal seizure onset was noted with the latter.

2. Did they have a normal magnetic resonance imaging of brain? Focal cortical dysplasia is the most common cause of symptomatic focal epilepsy in infants and should be ruled out in these patients.

3. If any metabolic or genetic work-up was performed? Caution should be exercised to rule out inborn error of metabolism and chromosomal disorders, especially if differentiation between prolonged postictal state and underlying encephalopathy is difficult.

4. If any of these patients have gastroenteritis? The other entity with similar presentation is ‘Benign convulsion with mild gastroenteritis’, first described in Japan [2]; though rare in other countries, directed history of diarrhea should to taken in infants with clusters of seizures.

5. Though I agree with the authors’ finding that recognition of this syndrome helps in avoiding long term anti-epileptic therapy and treatment with antiepileptic medication is not mandatory, benign nature of the condition is extremely difficult to ascertain during initial presentation; and rather than non-initiation of antiepileptic drugs, treatment for shorter time period may be justifiable. Though suspicion of this entity is possible to some extent, definite diagnosis can only be possible at age 5 years in presence of normal psychomotor development [3].

References

1. Mishra D, Nikunj NK, Juneja M, Talukdar B. Benign infantile seizures. Indian Pediatr. 2015;52:151-2.

2. Uemura N, Okumura A, Negoro T, Watanabe K. Clinical features of benign convulsions with mild gastroenteritis. Brain Dev. 2002;24:745-9.

3. Okumura A, Hayakawa F, Kato T, Kuno K, Negoro T, Watanabe K. Early recognition of benign partial epilepsy in infancy. Epilepsia. 2000;41:714-7.

 

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