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Introduction: The aim of the study was to find out the incidenceand predictive factors of epilepsy after presumed perinatal stroke (PPS). Childrenwith PPS present with congenital hemiparesis or focal seizures beyond firstmonth of life and have chronic focal brain lesion with vascular origin on brainimaging.Methods: Patients were recruited from theEstonian Paediatric Stoke Registry. At least two neuroradiologists confirmedthe radiological diagnoses. The study group consisted of 34 children (9 boys, 25girls). Twenty-two children (61%) had unilateral periventricular venous infarctand 12/34 had stroke in the territory of the medial cerebral artery. Lefthemisphere was the prominent side in 26 cases (76%). Mean follow-up time was 9.9years (range: 2.0 to 7.6 years).Results: Nine (26%) children developed epilepsy withfocal onset seizures. Mean onset of epilepsy was 3.9 years, range: 9 month to7.2 years. The Kaplan-Meier probability of remaining seizure-free at 4years was 82%. The onset ofepilepsy was not associated with sex, type of the brain damage, size of thearterial stroke, prematurity or severity of the motor deficit (P>0.05). Left side of the damage wasassociated, but not significantly with onset of epilepsy (P=0.077). Conclusions:Epilepsy occursin 26% of children with PPS. No predictive factor for epilepsy was found inthis study, probable because of the small study group.

perinatals troke, epilepsy