The spectrum of benign neonatal and infantile seizures
Imad Yassin Saadeldin
Last modified: 2014-04-03
Abstract
Background/objectives
To highlight the characteristic features of benign neonatal and infantile seizures and demonstrate the benign nature of the syndromes. These syndromes include many new entities. The aim of this review is to describe these entities, discuss their nosological aspects and demonstrate the characteristic electroclinical features.
Design and methods
A case series of 310 patients with epileptic seizures who fulfilled the criteria for benign neonatal and infantile seizures were followed over a period of 4 years and 7 months which included patients with benign neonatal seizures, benign infantile seizures and benign infantile seizures with mild gastroenteritis between the period from February 2008 to August 2013. Serial video-EEG, MRI/CT brain were done in addition to appropriate blood/urine tests when indicated.
Results
In 2009, Saadeldin et. al. documented for the first time the presence of benign infantile seizures in Saudi Arabian and Arab populations. In 2010, Saadeldin analyzed the electroclinical features of patients with benign infantile seizures with mild gastroenteritis and demonstrated the benign nature of this entity. Recently, in 2013, Saadeldin et. al published for the first time in United Arab Emirates and Gulf region a novel KCNQ2 mutation in a large Emirati family with benign familial neonatal seizures
Conclusions
Increasing the awareness of clinicians regarding the existence of these syndromes and their benign nature in children will limit unnecessary investigations.
Keywords
Benign; Infantile; Neonatal; Seizures; KCNQ2
References
[1] Fukuyama Y. Borderland of epilepsy with special reference tofebrile convulsions and so-called infantile convulsions (in Japanese).Seishin Igaku (Clin Psychiatry) 1963;5:211–23.[2] Watanabe K, Yamamoto N, Negoro T, Takaesu E, Aso K,Furune S, et al. Benign complex partial epilepsies in infancy.Pediatr Neurol 1987;3:208–11.[3] Watanabe K, Yammamoto N, Negoro T, Takahashi I, Aso K,Maehara M. Benign infantile epilepsy with complex partialseizures. J Clin Neurophysiol 1990;7:409–16.[4] Watanabe K, Negoro T, Aso K. Benign partial epilepsy withsecondarily generalized seizures in infancy. Epilepsia1993;34:635–8.[5] Vigevano F, Fusco L, Di Capua, Ricci S, Sebastianelli R,Lucchini P. Benign infantile familial convulsions. Eur J Pediatr1992;151:608–12.[6] Vigevano F, Sebastianelli R, Fusco L, Di Capua M, Ricci S,Lucchini P, et al. Benign infantile familial convulsions. In:Malafosse A, Genton P, Hirsch E, Marescaux C, Broglin D,Bernasconi R, editors. Idiopathic generalized epilepsies: clinical,experimental and genetic aspects. London: John Libbey; 1994. p.45–9.[7] Caraballo R, Cerso´simo RO, Espeche A, Fejerman N. Benignfamilial and non-familial infantile seizures: a study of 64 patients.Epileptic Disord 2003;5:45–9.[8] Fukuyama Y, Sakauchi M. Syndromes des crises be´nignes dunourrisson. Des avance´es classiques aux plus re´centes. E´ pilepsies2006;18:8–23.[9] Guipponi M, Rivier F, Vigevano F, Beck C, Crespel A, EchenneB, et al. Linkage mapping of benign familial infantile convulsions(BFIC) to chromosome 19. Hum Mol Genet 1997;6:473–7.[10] Caraballo R, Pavek S, Lemainque A, Gastaldi M, Echenne B,Motte J, et al. Linkage of benign familial infantile convulsions tochromosome 16p12-q12 suggests allelism to the infantile convulsionsand choreoathetosis syndrome. Am J Hum Genet2001;68:788–94.[11] Szepetowski P, Rochette J, Berquin P, Piussan C, Lathrop GM,Monaco AP. Familial infantile convulsions and paroxysmalchoreoathetosis: a new neurological syndrome linked to thepericentromeric region of human chromosome 16. Am J HumGenet 1997;61:889–98.[12] Weber YG, Berger A, Bebek N, Maier S, Karafyllakes S, MeyerN, et al. Benign familial infantile convulsions: linkage tochromosome 16p12-q12 in 14 families. Epilepsia 2004;45:601–9.[13] Malacarne M, Gennaro E, Madia F, Pozzi S, Vacca D, Barone B,et al. Benign familial infantile convulsions: mapping of a novellocus on chromosome 2q24 and evidence of genetic heterogeneity.Am J Hum Genet 2001;68:1521–6.[14] Matsumoto A, Sugiura M, Negoro T, Takaesu E, Iwase K.Prognostic factors of convulsive disorders in the first year of life.Brain Dev 1983;5:469–73.[15] Chevrie JJ, Aicardi J. Convulsive disorders in the first year of life:persistence of epileptic seizures. Epilepsia 1979;20:643–9.
Conference registration is required in order to view papers.