Focal epilepsy in pediatric patients in Yaounde. Clinical features, causes and outcomes.

A prospective study conducted at the Yaounde Central Hospital from January 1, 1991, through December 31, 1994 identified 119 pediatric cases of focal epilepsy in patients aged one to 16 years. A cause was identified in 68 % of cases, A febrile seizure occurred at onset in 42 % of cases. Sixty-three per cent of patients had simple focal epilepsy and 37 % complex focal epilepsy. Electroencephalogram tracings revealed evidence of irritation in 83 % of cases and were normal in 17 % of cases. Computed tomography demonstrated a temporal tumor in a patient with complex focal seizures. Complete disappearance of the seizures within one year was documented in 76.84 % of patients. Of the 55 patients who were followed-up for two years, 67,27 % had no further seizures. This proportion was 70.83 % in the 24 patients who were followed-up for three years. The large number of patients who were lost to follow-up during the study period suggests that higher success rates could have been obtained if compliance with the anticonvulsant therapy had been better.