Table II.
ESES group: clinical, therapeutic and electroencephalographic data.
| Case/sex | 6/F | 7/M | 8/F | 9/F | 10/M | 11/M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etiology | Structural (hydrocephaly) | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Structural (cavernous angioma) | Structural (cavernous angioma) |
| Age at onset of seizures (months) | 36 | 96 | 87 | 93 | 0.8 | 94 |
| Age at start of PT cycle (months) | 83 | 105 | 124 | 107 | 105 | 95 |
| Type of seizures | Complex partial | AA | Complex partial | Complex partial | Focal motor | AA |
| Neurological problems before epilepsy onset | Mild motor developmental delay | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal |
| Previous AEDs | VPA, LEV, TPM, ESM, LTG, NZP, CLB, DZP, HC, STM | CLB, ESM | LEV, VPA, ESM, CLB | CLB, VPA, LEV | VPA, LEV, CLB, PB, HC, STM, ESM | VPA, NZP, ESM, STM |
| AEDs at start of PT | VPA, ESM, CLB | CLB, ESM | VPA, ESM, CLB | LEV | ESM, CLB | VPA, STM |
| EEG before PT | Awake: SWDs (central, left>right) Sleep: CSWS (85%) |
Awake: rare SWDs Sleep: CSWS (90%) |
Awake: frequent SWDs (temporal bilateral) Sleep: CSWS (85%) |
Awake: rare SDs (bilateral) Sleep: CSWS (85%) |
Awake: SWDs (frontal, right>left) Sleep: CSWS (>90%) |
Awake: frequent SDs (bilateral), slow activity on right; SWDs right>left Sleep: CSWS (>90%) |
| EEG after PT | No change | Awake: no change Sleep: dramatic reduction of SWDs (10%) | Awake: rare SWDs (temporal bilateral) Sleep: dramatic reduction of SWDs (20%) |
Awake: reduction of SDs Sleep: dramatic reduction of SWDs (10%) |
No change | Awake: marked reduction of SDs and SWDs Sleep: dramatic reduction of SWDs (10%) |
| Seizure frequency before PT | >50 seizures/month |
<1 seizure/month |
11–20 seizures/month |
<1 seizure/month |
<1 seizure/month |
11–20 seizures/month |
| Seizure frequency after PT | No change | Seizure free | <1 seizure/month |
Seizure free | No change | Seizure free |
Abbreviations: M=male; F=female; AA=atypical absence seizure; AEDs=antiepileptic drugs; PT=pulse therapy; SWDs=spike-slow wave discharges; SDs=spike discharges; CSWS=continuous spike-and-waves during slow-wave sleep; VPA=valproic acid; NZP=nitrazepam; HC=hydrocortisone; PB=phenobarbital; LTG=lamotrigine; CLB=clobazam; ESM=ethosuximide; TPM=topiramate; LEV=levetiracetam; DZP=diazepam; STM=sulthiame.