ABSTRACT

To evaluate risk factors and family history of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and to determine the role of these factors on prognosis.

The study included 32 patients (23 women, 9 men; mean age 22.2±4.8 years; range 16 to 37 years) with JME according to ILAE classification (1989). The patient group was reviewed with regard to demographic data, family history of seizures, risk factors, neurologic findings, age at seizure onset, seizure types, medications, interictal electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

The female-male ratio was 2.5/1. The age of onset was after 11 years in 75%. Risk factors included family history in 40.6% (n=13), mild head trauma in 6.2% (n=2), and febrile convulsion in 25% (n=8). A history of epileptic seizures was obtained in the first-degree family members in 18.8%, and in the second and third degree relatives in 21.9%. No significant effect of family history was found on the prognosis (p=0.464). Similarly, the degree of kinship between parents (p=0.073) and the degree of epileptic relatives of the patients (p=0.936) did not influence prognosis.

It can be inferred from our findings that, although family history has a considerable role in the occurrence of JME, it does not affect the prognosis of the disease.

Keywords: Epilepsy/genetics, myoclonic epilepsy, juvenile/genetics, prognos