[Diagnostic significance of sleep EEGs in children with febrile convulsions]

Abstract

The sleep EEGs of 52 children suffering from febrile seizures were recorded. Their waking EEGs were free of epileptic activity. Only a few patients fell asleep without medication, the majority received 2 mg/kg body weight of promazine hydrochloride. Epileptic activity occurred in the sleep EEG of 15 out of 52 patients (29%). Exclusively short generalized paroxysms of high amplitude, mostly irregular and partially abortive 3-4/sec spike-wave complexes and occasional 2.5/sec sharp-slow-wave complexes were recorded. Epileptic discharges were detected in the B stage in 11 patients, in the C stage in 10 patients, in the A stage in 7 patients and in the stage D in two patients. They were recorded more often in cases where more than one seizure had occurred, and where the patients were more than two years of age. Generalized spikes and waves were also seen most frequently in the case of so-called complicated febrile convulsions. Although there were differences in the cases of females, in incidences of a family history of seizures and delayed toilet training, these were not statistical significant. Likewise, a complicated pregnancy and birth as well as a delayed stato-motoric development showed no correlation. These results together with other findings justify the conclusion, that the majority of febrile convulsions should be classified amongst the primary generalized epilepsies.