Introduction:

Epilepsy is a reason of frequent consultation in neuropediatrics services at the global level, with peak incidence in infants of less than one year old. This is associated with neurodevelopmental delay and seizures recurrence.

Objective:

To characterize infants with epilepsy according to clinical, electro-encephalographic, therapeutic aspects and the seizures recurrence.

Methods:

Observational, prospective and longitudinal study in 50 infants with epilepsy whom were admitted in “William Soler” Hospital from 2016 to 2018. There were analysed demographic, clinical and paraclinical variables, and the treatment and recurrence six months after the beginning of the antiepileptic treatment.

Results:

The beginning of the seizures was at 1 to 4 months in the 60%, with predominance of males (60%). 44% presented global neurodevelopmental delay and 32% cerebral palsy. Generalized motor epileptic seizures and epileptic spasms predominated (32%); generalized epilepsy (60%), epilepsy syndrome: West syndrome (32%); and of unknown etiology (48%). The most frequent electroencephalographic tracing was the generalized one (26%) followed by hypsarrhythmia (24%). Vigabatrin and phenobarbital were the most commonly antiepileptic drugs used at the beginning of treatment (24%) each. Recurrence was high (62%).

Conclusions:

Epilepsy in the infant is more common in males and of early-onset. The delay in the global neurodevelopment was a factor associated with the recurrence of seizures. Cerebral palsy, findings in neuroimaging studies and the structural etiology are clinically significant factors for recurrence.

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