Abstracts

Rationale: Purpose: This study analyses the clinical and prognostic features of 56 patients (pts) with nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) after a long follow-up.Methods: Methods: We selected 56 patients (31 males, 25 females) with NFLE according to the following criteria: a history of nocturnal seizures with symptoms suggesting frontal lobe involvement , video-polysomnographic recording of at least one major episode (hypermotor or tonic seizures) or two stereotyped paroxysmal arousals, a follow-up period longer than 5 years, last visit within the last 24 months. All patients underwent a full clinical, neuroradiological and neurophysiological examination. On the basis of seizure frequency at the last visit our population was divided into 2 groups: pts with Negative Evolution (NE- seizure frequency varying from daily to pluri-yearly: 31 pts, 55.4%) and pts with Positive Evolution (PE- seizure-free for at least 1 year or with sporadic seizure: 25 pts, 44.6%). Only 7 pts had positive neuroimaging findings. Results: Results: At disease onset, seizure frequency was daily in most pts in both NE (35.5%) and PE (44%) groups. At the last visit, most NE pts (64.5%) presented monthly/weekly seizures and only 16% still had daily seizures. Among NE pts the mean age at onset of epilepsy was slightly lower than in PE pts (PE 17.8 years vs NE 11.8 years; p=0.046); a family history of febrile convulsions (FC) was found only in the PE group (16%). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in seizure type, personal history of FC, status epilepticus, family history of epilepsy and parasomnias, secondary generalization, seizures also in wakefulness, interictal epileptiform abnormalities. Conclusions: Conclusions: These preliminary data show only two significant differences between NE and PE pts regarding earlier age at onset in the NE group, that seems to be a negative prognostic factor, and a positive family history for FC reported only in the PE group.