Objectives: To elucidate the electroclinical characteristics of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) and to determine any potential association among these with underlying etiologies and response to therapy.
Methods: Sixty-eight, treatment-naive children with IESS underwent long-term video electroencephalogram (EEG) recording, which was used to characterize the semiology, ictal, and inter-ictal EEG patterns. Children were further followed up to assess electroclinical predictors of etiologies and short-term therapeutic response.
Results: Of 68 children enrolled (69% boys), the median age at enrollment was 10.5 mo (IQR-8). Eighty-eight percent of children had flexor spasms, followed by mixed (7%) and extensor (4.4%). Asymmetrical spasms were noted in 17.6% children, and all of them had underlying structural etiology. Two children had the status of epileptic spasms. In the present cohort, authors recognized five distinct ictal EEG correlates of epileptic spasms; the frontocentral dominant slow wave was the most prevalent (32%), followed by the generalized slow-wave complex with superimposed fast rhythm in 29.4%. The occipital dominant slow wave complex was a peculiar pattern in 16%. The major underlying etiologies were hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries (36.7%) and neonatal hypoglycemic brain injuries (22%). Besides asymmetric spasms, authors could not identify any significant association among electroclinical characteristics, underlying etiologies and response to therapy in this study.
Conclusions: The electroclinical landscape of IESS is peculiar and diverse in developing countries. The presence of asymmetrical spasms indicated underlying structural etiology.
Keywords: Polysomnography; Salaam seizures; West syndrome.
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Dr. K C Chaudhuri Foundation.