Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Infantile spasms combined with partial seizures: electroclinical study of eleven cases

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We studied 11 infants (7 males) with combined infantile spasms (IS) and partial seizures. The age of onset of the spasms ranged from 6 days to 9 months. All of the children had neurological or CT/MRI abnormalities, and five also had a family history of epilepsy. The clinical and polygraphic patterns of the clusters of spasms combined with partial seizures were analysed. Ten infants were followed-up for a mean period of 3 years, 4 months (range 1 year 10 months to 4 years 11 months). At the last check-up, the seizures were controlled in 2 patients; the others continued to have spasms and/or partial seizures. All of the patients developed mild to severe pshychomotor retardation. This condition defines a subgroup of infants presenting with IS, which is distinct from West syndrome.

Sommario

Abbiamo studiato 11 bambini (7 maschi) che avevano spasmi infantili nello stesso episodio critico. L'età all'inizio degli spasmi variava da 6 giorni a 9 mesi. Tutti i bambini presentavano anormalità neurologiche o neuroradiologiche, e 5 avevano anche una familiarità epilettica. Abbiamo analizzato gli aspetti clinici e poligrafici dei cluster di spasmi associati a crisi parziali. Dieci di questi bambini vennero seguiti per un periodo medio di 3 anni e 4 mesi. All'ultima visita, le crisi hanno avuto sucessivamente un ritardo psicomotorio da lieve a grave. Questa condizione definisce un sottogruppo particolare, tra i bambini che presentano spasmi infantili, diverso dalla sindrome di West.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aicardi J.:Epilepsy in children. Raven Press. New York, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Alvarez L.A., Shinnar S., Moshe S.L.:Infantile spasms due to unilateral cerebral infarcts. Pediatrics 79:1024–1026, 1987.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Carrazana E.J., Lombroso C.T., Mikati M., Helmers S., Holmes G.L.:Facilitation of Infantile Spasms by Partial Seizures. Epilepsia 34:97–109, 1993.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Chugani H.T., Shields W.D., Shewmon D.A., et al.:Infantile spasms: I. PET identifies focal cortical dysgenesis in cryptogenic cases for surgical treatment. Ann. Neurol. 27:406–413, 1990.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chugani H.T., Shewmon D.A., Sankar R., et al.:Infantile spasms: II. Lenticular nuclei and brain stem activation on positron emission tomography. Ann. Neurol. 31:212–219, 1992.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chugani H.T., Shewmon D.A., Shields W.D., et al.:Surgery for intractable infantile spasms: neuroimaging perspetives. Epilepsia 34:764–771, 1993.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League against Epilepsy:Proposal for revised clinical and electroencephalographic classification of epileptic seizures. Epilepsia 22:489–501, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League against Epilepsy:Proposal for revised classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes. Epilepsia 30:389–399, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cusmai R., Dulac O., Diebler C.:Lesions focales dans les spasmes infantiles. Neurophysiol Clin. 18:235–241, 1988.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cusmai R., Ricci S., Pinard J.M., et al.:West syndrome due to perinatal insults. Epilepsia 34:738–742, 1993.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Donat J.F., Wright F.S.:Simultaneous Infantile Spasms and Partial Seizures. J. Child. Neurol. 6:246–250, 1991.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Dravet C., Catani C., Bureau M., Roger J.:Partial Epilepsy in Infancy: A Study of 40 cases. Epilepsia 30:807–812, 1989.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dreifuss F.E.:Infantile spasms. In: Dreifuss F.E., ed.. Pediatric epileptology: classification and management of seizures in the child. Wright PSG, Boston, 97–108, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Dulac O., Chiron C., Jambaque I., et al.:Les spasmes infantiles. Ann. Pediatr. (Paris) 34:183–191, 1987.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Frost J.D. Jr.,Hrachovy R.A., Kellaway P., Zion T.:Quantitative analysis and characterization of infantile spasms. Epilepsia 19:273–282, 1978.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Fusco L., Vigevono F.:Ictal. clinical electroencephalographic findings of spasms in West syndrome. Epilepsia 34:671–678, 1993.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Gastaut H.:Clinical and electroencephalographic classification of epileptic seizures. Epilepsia 11:102–113, 1970.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Gobbi G., Bruno L., Pini A., et al.:Periodic spasms: An unclassified type of epileptic seizures in childhood. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 29:766–775. 1987.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hrachovy R.A., Frost J.D., Kellaway P.:Sleep characteristics in infantile spasms. Neurology 31:688–694, 1981.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hrachovy R.A., Frost J.D., Jr.Kellaway P.:Hypsarrhythmia: variation on the theme. Epilepsia 25:317–325, 1984.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Jeavons P.M., Bower B.D.:Infantile spasms: a review of the literature and a study of 112 cases. Heinemann, London, 1964.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Jeavons P. M., Livet M.O.:West syndrome: infantile spasms. In: Roger J., Bureau M., Dravet C., Dreifuss F.E., Perret A., Wolf P. (eds.): Epileptic syndromes in infancy, childhood and adolescence. J. Libbey and Co. Ltd. 53–65, 1992.

  23. Kellaway P., Hrachovy R.A., Frost J.D. Jr.,Zion T.:Precise characterization and quantification of infantile spasms. Ann. Neurol. 6:214–218, 1979.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kellaway P., Frost J.D. Jr.,Hrachovy R.A.:Infantile spasms. In: Morselli P.L., Pippenger C.E., Penry J.K., eds. Antiepileptic drug therapy in pediatrics. Raven Press, New York, 115–136, 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lacy J.R., Penry J.K.:Infantile spasms. Raven Press, New York, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lombroso C.T.:A prospective study of infantile spasms: clinical and therapeutic correlations. Epilepsia 24:135–158, 1983.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Miyazaki M., Hashimoto T., Tayama M., Kuroda Y.:Brainstem involvement in Infantile Spasms: A study employing brainstem evoked potentials and magnetic resonance imaging. Neuropediatrics 24:126–130, 1993.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Plouin P., Jalin C., Dulac O., Chiron C.:Ambulatory 24-hour EEG recording in epileptic infantile spasms. Rev. Electroencephalogr. Neurophysiol. Clin. 1:309–318, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Ruggieri V., Caraballo R., Fejerman N.:Intracranial tumors and West syndrome. Pediatr. Neurol. 5:327–329, 1989.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Satoh J., Mizutani T., Morimatsu Y.:Neuropathology of the brainstem in age-dependent epileptic encephalopathy — especially of cases with infantile spasms. Brain Dev. 8:443–449, 1986.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Velez A., Dulac O., Plouin P.:Prognosis for seizures control in infantile spasms preceded by other seizures. Brain Dev. 12:306–309, 1990.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Viani F., Romeo A., Mastrangelo M., Asi H.:Infantile spasms secondary to the surgical excision of a brain tumor. J. Child Neurol. 9:103–104, 1994.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Vining E.P.G.:Chaos, balance and development: thoughts on selected childhood epilepsy syndromes. Epilepsia 31 (Suppl. 3):30–36, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Yamamoto N., Watanabe K., Negoro T., et al.:Partial seizures evolving to infantile spasms. Epilepsia 29:34–40, 1988.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro di epilettologia, Servizio di Neuropsichiatria infantile, Ospedale “Regina Elena”, Via Manfredo Fanti 6, 20122, Milano, Italy

    Viani F. MD, Romeo A. & Viri M.

  2. Servizio di Neurofisiologia, Istituti Clinici di Perfezionamento, Milano, Italia

    Mastrangelo M.

Authors
  1. Viani F. MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Romeo A.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mastrangelo M.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Viri M.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Viani, F., Romeo, A., Mastrangelo, M. et al. Infantile spasms combined with partial seizures: electroclinical study of eleven cases. Ital J Neuro Sci 15, 463–471 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334607

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02334607

Key Words

Search

Navigation