Objective:To study the outcome of childhood-onset drug-resistant epilepsy.Methods:Fifty-five patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, meeting inclusion criteria, were identified from the Pediatric Neurology Clinic database with seizure onset less than age 13 years and a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Seizure remission was defined as no more than 1 seizure/year. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the annual probability of seizure remission. Chi-square/Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to detect differences in predictors between those with seizure remission, ≥75% improvement and <75% improvement based on caregiver reports.Results:Median follow-up was 11 years. Of 55, 22 (40%) were in seizure remission at last contact; 14 (25.4%) improved by ≥75%; 19 (34.5%) experienced <75% improvement. Annual remission probability was 3% in IQ ≥70 group and 2.48% in IQ <70 group (P = .126).Conclusion:This study shows patients with drug-resistant epilepsy treated in urban India can expect an overall remission rate of 2% per year starting from the third year of follow-up.

We investigated long-term outcomes in children with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders based on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS score). Information about outcomes such as speech, friendships and activities of daily living (ADLs) was collected through telephone-based interviews. Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2 and Vineland Social Maturity Scale were used to assess level of functioning at follow-up. Parents of 80 [67 males, mean age 12 (3) years] children participated in the interview, 23 attended follow-up assessment. Sixty-four (80%) were verbal, 34 (42.5%) had need-based speech, 20 (25%) had friends and 37 (46%) had achieved age-appropriate ADLs. Median total follow-up period was 10 years. Lower disease severity, parent participation and higher maternal education were associated with better outcomes.

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