Abstracts

Rationale: Epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) is a special form of cortical epilepsy. Several studies have described the ictal and interictal electroencephalography (EEG) findings in patients with EPC; however, lateralizing and localizing values of these findings have not been evaluated. This study investigates the correlation of clinical and EEG findings and outcomes in patients with EPC. Methods: Clinical and EEG findings and outcomes, and their correlations were studied prospectively in 15 patients who were diagnosed as having EPC upon presentation to Istanbul Medical Faculty Hospital between January 2010 and April 2014, and retrospectively in 5 previously evaluated patients. Results: EEG findings were lateralizing in 10 (45.5%) and localizing in 4 (18.2%) of the overall 22 EEG recordings. No clinical correlations could be established in the remaining 12 EEGs; 4 of these recordings were false lateralizing. Eleven of the 20 patients (55%) had poor prognosis. Periodic epileptiform discharges were noted in the EEGs of 5 patients, all of whom had poor outcomes. All four patients with false lateralizing EEG findings had poor outcomes. Patients with lateralizing EEG findings had better outcomes compared with patients who had non-lateralizing EEG findings (P= 0.005). Conclusions: EEG has low lateralizing and localizing value in EPC but patients with lateralizing EEG findings have better outcomes, which may be a used as a prognostic tool in EPC. The presence of periodic epileptiform discharges and false lateralizing findings in EEG might be associated with poor prognosis in EPC. Funding: No funding