Characteristics of Symptomatic Epilepsy in Patients with Brain Tumours

Abstract

The aim of our work is to determine the total number, age, gender of the patients with the symptomatic epileptic seizures associated with brain tumours, tumour location, clinical signs and characteristics of epileptic seizures. We have analyzed medical documentation of the patients with brain tumours hospitalized at the Department of Neurology, University of Sarajevo Clinics Centre. This study is retrospective and includes time period from 1st January 2000 until 31st December 2005. During the observed period at the Department of Neurology in Sarajevo there were in total 9753 hospitalized patients, from which 101 (1,1%) patients with the brain tumour diagnosis. Average patient's age was 62,60 +/- 1,28 years. In one third of the patients (32%) were recorded epileptic seizures, without significant difference between genders. In case of symptomatic epilepsy, significantly more frequent locations of tumours were: in several lobes (28%), parietal lobe (25%), as well as frontal and temporal lobe (18,8% each), while there were no changes in cerebellum and brain stem (chi2 =7,174, p<0,05). The most prominent signs of illness in our sample were hemiparesis with the cranial nerves lesion (56,3%), speech problems (25%). Normal neurologic findings were significantly more frequent among patients with the symptomatic epilepsy (chi2 =6,349, p<0,05). The most often was a single seizure (59%), in 38% of cases there were recorded series of seizures, and only 3% of patients had status epilepticus. In relation to the type of seizures, the most often are simple partial seizures with or without secondary generalization (66%), than generalized convulsive (31%), and the rarest one are complex partial seizures (3%). Symptomatic epilepsy in case of brain tumours occurs in one third of patients, at older age, and in both genders. The lesion usually affects several lobes and cause simple partial seizures with or without secondary generalization. The most often clinical signs in case of all brain tumours are cranial nerves lesion and hemiparesis, while the normal neurologic findings are significantly dominant in the group of patients with the epileptic seizures.

Brain tumour-associated status epilepticus

“…2. Studies including variable seizure types [9][10][11][12]. The mechanism of each seizure type is distinct, and this may have important implications for SEGP and TASE biology.…”

Psychotherapy for Families after Brain Injury

“…He or she may also fall asleep for varied time periods. Afterwards, the loved one may have muscle soreness, fatigue, or a headache EEG electroencephalogram anoxia, and infectious diseases (Alajbegović et al 2009;Channing Bete Company 2008;Devinsky 2008;Lee and Clason 2008;Mantoan and Kullmann 2011;Martin et al 2006;National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 2012;Reuber et al 2009; The National Epilepsy Educational Alliance 2009; Wyllie 2010; see Chaps. 4, 6, 7, and 10 correspondingly for a more in-depth discussion of moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, cerebrovascular accidents, and brain tumors).…”

“…Patients with more severe hemorrhagic strokes creating cortical damage are at higher risk of developing seizures (Beghi et al 2011;Burneo et al 2010;Szaflarski et al 2008). Based on the literature, the incidence of seizures in brain tumor patients ranges from approximately 20% to as high as 85% (Alajbegović et al 2009;; see Drappatz and Wen 2011, for a review; see Liigant et al 2001, for a review;Mogensen 2008;van Breemen et al 2009;Vercueil 2011). They are more prevalent in patients with low-grade, slow-growing tumors (e.g., astrocytomas, mixed gliomas, and oligodendrogliomas) commonly affecting the frontal and temporal lobes (see Drappatz and Wen 2011, for a review; see Kurzwelly et al 2010, for a review; see Liigant et al 2001, for a review;see Vercueil 2011, for a review).…”

Epilepsy in women with gynecologic malignancies

“…Of these, five had seizures at presentation and seven had delayed seizures. Alajbegovic et al [27] conducted a retrospective study and found that single seizure occurred most often (59%); a series of seizures is relatively uncommon (38%). Status epilepticus occurred in only 3% of patients.…”

“…The most common type of seizures were simple partial seizures with or without secondary generalization (66% of seizures were simple partial seizures: 44% of which occurred without generalization and 22% occurred with generalization), followed by generalized convulsive seizures (31%), and finally, the least common type, complex partial seizures (3%) [27]. Ramamurthi et al [28] reported that partial seizures are often associated with lesions in perirolandic areas affecting M1, S1, the supplementary motor area or the secondary somatosensory cortex.…”