Epilepsy in Children with Down Syndrome: An Observational Study in a District Epilepsy Centre in South of London
Shpresa Pula1*, Jelena Radic Nisevic2, Marian McGowan1
1Child Development Centre, St. Georges Hospital, London, United Kingdom. 2Department of pediatrics, University Hospital Rijeka, Croatia.
*Corresponding Author: Shpresa Pula, Child Development Centre, St. George’s Hospital, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, United Kingdom.
https://doi.org/10.58624/SVOANE.2025.06.006
Received: October 29, 2024
Published: February 10, 2025
Citation: Pula S, Nisevic JR, McGowan M. Epilepsy in Children with Down Syndrome: An Observational Study in a District Epilepsy Centre in South of London. SVOA Neurology 2025, 6:1, 28-32. doi. 10.58624/SVOANE.2025.06.006
Abstract
Objectives: To assess the presence and type of epilepsy in children with Down syndrome attending a child development centre in the south of London, U.K.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case notes of 225 patients with Down syndrome (121 males and 104 females) at Child Development Centre, London, between 2006 and 2020. Follow-up period was 13.6 years, with examinations once per year.
Results: In our cohort of 225 patients with Down syndrome, only two patient presented with epilepsy (prevalence 0.08%) and they had Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome. Response to treatment was favourable. Only one patient was misdiagnosed with epilepsy.
Conclusion: Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS) was the most common epilepsy syndrome in patients with Down syndrome. Electroclinical features of IESS resemble those of idiopathic West syndrome, with a favorable response to treatment. Prospective studies that provide accurate estimates of the lifetime prevalence of epilepsy in patients with Down syndrome are needed.
Keywords: Down Syndrome, Epileptic Seizures, Epileptic Spasms
