ObjectiveTo explore the prognostic value of normal 24 hour video electroencephalography (VEEG) with different frequency on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) withdrawal in cryptogenic epilepsy patients with three years seizure-free. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in the Neurology outpatient and the Epilepsy Center of Xi Jing Hospital. The subject who had been seizure free more than 3 years were divided into continual normal twice group and once group according to the nomal frequence of 24 hour VEEG before discontinuation from January 2013 to December 2014, and then followed up to replase or to December 2015. The recurrence and cumulative recurrence rate of the two group after withdrawal AEDs were compared with chi-square or Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier survival curve. A Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis to identify the risk factors for seizure recurrence after univariate analysis. P value < 0.05 was considered significant, and all P values were two-tailed. Results95 epilepsy patients with cause unknown between 9 to 45 years old were recruited (63 in normal twice group and 32 in normal once group). The cumulated recurrence rates in continual two normal VEEG group vs one normal VEEG group were 4.8% vs 21.9% (P=0.028), 4.8% vs 25% (P=0.006) and 7.9% vs 25%(P=0.03) at 18 months, 24 months and endpoint following AEDs withdrawal and there was statistically difference between the two groups. Factors associated with increased risk were adolescent onset epilepsy (HR=2.404), history of withdrawal recurrence (HR=7.186) and abnormal VEEG (epileptic-form discharge) (HR=8.222) during or after withdrawal AEDs. The recurrence rate of each group in which abnormal VEEG vs unchanged VEEG during or after withdrawal AEDs was respectively 100% vs 4.92% (P=0.005), 80% vs 19.23%(P=0.009). ConclusionsContinual normal 24h VEEG twice before withdrawal AEDs had higher predicting value of seizure recurrence and it could guide physicians to make the withdrawal decision. Epileptic patients with adolescent onset epilepsy, history of seizure recurrence and abnormal VEEG (epileptic-form discharge) during or after withdrawal AEDs had high risk of replase, especially patients with the presence of VEEG abnormalities is associated with a high probability of seizures occurring. Discontinuate AEDs should be cautious.
ObjectiveThe aim was to summarize the seizure and video electroencephalogram (VEEG) characteristics of Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome (DDMS). Methods The case data of four patients with Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome (DDMS) who attended the Epilepsy Center of Hunan Provincial Brain Hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed to summarize the clinical manifestations of their seizures and the characteristics of their video electroencephalogram (VEEG). Results One case of symptomatic epilepsy with focal seizures; VEEG showed poor background activity alpha rhythmic modulation, amplitude modulation, and increased distribution of slow wave activity in the left frontal and temporal regions; bilateral frontal-central and anterior-temporal regions (more so on the left side), with sharp and slow composite wave issuance.Two cases of symptomatic epilepsy with focal seizures progressing to generalized seizures; in one case, the VEEG showed: background activity α-rhythmic modulation, amplitude modulation is possible, the left frontal, central, anterior temporal region slow wave increase; the left frontal central, parietal anterior temporal region spike-like slow wave activity mixed with spike wave, spike-slow complex wave short-medium-range issuance; the other VEEG showed: background activity α-rhythmic modulation, amplitude modulation is possible, the right frontal central, anterior temporal region slow wave increase; right frontal, central, and anterior temporal region for the famous medium-extremely high-high-amplitude slow wave activity mixed with spike wave, spike-slow complex wave short-medium-range issuance. One case of symptomatic epilepsy with generalized seizures; VEEG showed bilateral occipital alpha rhythm asymmetry, right occipital region <50% of the left side, poor regulation and amplitude modulation; bilateral frontal pole, frontal region, anterior temporal region spike and spiking slow complex wave discharges (right side was prominent), and right pterionic electrodes, anterior temporal and mesial temporal spike and spiking slow wave discharges. Conclusions Epileptic seizures are one of the main clinical manifestations of DDMS and most of them are consulted after a seizure, and their seizure types tend to be focal seizures or progress to generalized seizures, and most of them are drug-refractory epilepsies. The results of VEEG monitoring tend to be characterized by abnormal background activity, increased slow-wave activity, and the site of epileptogenic wave-like discharges tends to be in line with the site of cerebral softening foci or the site of the atrophic side of the brain as shown by cranial MRI.