[West's syndrome--infantile myoclonic spasms]

Abstract

The article is a review of contemporary knowledge of the so-called West syndrome. It deals with the definition, aetiology, clinical aspects, therapy and prognosis of this disease. In addition to the clinical picture of West's syndrome the author describes also recently described units which may fuse with this syndrome or mutually. The author deals on purpose in more detail with treatment of West's syndrome, in particular steroid administration (specially ACTH and its synthetic derivatives) as among our neurologists there are still very controversial views as regards indication and control of steroid treatment, sometimes associated with certain not always rational prejudices.