Original articleElectro-clinical-etiological associations of epilepsia partialis continua in 57 Chinese children

ObjectiveEpilepsia partialis continua (EPC) was one type of focal status epilepticus. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics, and outcome of 57 child-onset patients with EPC according to different etiologies, and further explore the electro-clinical-etiological associations.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 57 children diagnosed with EPC in our department over last ten years. Etiology, clinical and EEG data, and outcome were categorized and analyzed.ResultsFor the 57 child-onset patients, EPC was caused by different etiologies, including immune-related disease (43.9%), focal lesions (17.5%), inborn errors of metabolism (24.6%), and unknown (14.0%). EEG background abnormalities showed generalized slowing in 45 patients (78.9%) and focal slowing in two patients (3.5%). Nineteen patients (33.3%) presented clear correlation of ictal EEG/EMG and the remaining 38 patients (66.7%) showed no clear correlation of ictal EEG/EMG. Both EEG background activity and ictal EEG/EMG correspondence among different etiologies had statistical significance (P < 0.05). The ictal patterns without clear EEG/EMG correspondence in immune-related disease and the ictal patterns with clear EEG/EMG correspondence in focal lesions were more prominent (P < 0.05).ConclusionThis is the first study of child-onset EPC with a large series in a pediatric epilepsy center in China. The most common cause for EPC was immune-related disease. The EEG background activity and the EEG/EMG correspondence might be influenced by the etiologies of EPC to some degree. These findings might guide the direction of EPC diagnosis in conjunction with other examinations.