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198 children with a first unprovoked seizure were followed up from 6 months to 10 years. There were 122 boys and 76 girls. Age varied from 5 months to 16 years (mean=8.7y). All patients but 9 did not receive AED. The neurological exam and imaging were normal. In101 (50.7%) the seizure never recurred. Mean age was 9 years.In 57 the seizure was partial and in 44 generalized. The EEG (n=99) was abnormal in 20. Positive family history for epilepsy was present in 42. Seizure lasted less than 15 minutes in 79. Recurrence occurred in 97 cases (49.2%). The mean age was 8.5 years; the seizure was partial in 49 and generalized in 48. EEG (n= 96) was abnormalin 42 cases. Positive family history was found in 46. The seizure lasted less than 15 minutes in 77. In 36 (37%) the second seizure occurred in the first 3 months; in 19 (19%) between 3and 6 months); in 20 (20%) between 6 and 12 months, in 9 (9.3%) in the second year, in 7 (7.2%) in the third year and only in 5 (5%) after 3 years. All patients but 11 had AED after the second seizure. Eighteen patients (18.5%) experienced a third seizure. Seven had 4 seizures, and 6 more than 5. As a conclusion, from all parameters studied only abnormality of EEGwas a predictive factor for recurrences in children with a first unprovoked seizure.

Epilepsy; first unprovoked seizure