Early clinical predictors of intractable epilepsy in childhood

Aim: In this retrospective study, we evaluated the clinical responses to antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy in pediatric epilepsy patients treated at a single center. Materials and methods: We identified 28 children with intractable epilepsy and 213 patients with drug-responsive epilepsy. Results: Univariate analysis showed that age at onset, high (daily) initial seizure frequency, infantile spasm, history of neonatal seizures, abnormal neurodevelopmental status, neurological abnormalities, mental retardation, remote symptomatic etiology, and abnormal brain imaging results were significant risk factors for the development of intractable epilepsy (P 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high (daily) initial seizure frequency and remote symptomatic etiology were significant and independent risk factors for intractable epilepsy (P 0.05). Conclusion: Our study suggests that the risk of developing intractable epilepsy in childhood may be predicted, to some extent, by the early clinical course. Early identification of patients at high risk of developing intractable epilepsy will guide appropriate therapy and reduce exposure to ineffectual treatments.