Epileptiform syndrome is a symptom complex that is expressed in episodic seizures of convulsions and uncontrolled movements. The seizure is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being and impaired consciousness. Such manifestations often occur in children. A similar condition in a child is very scary for parents. However, the episindrome has nothing to do with epilepsy. This condition lends itself well to correction and therapy.
What it is
Epileptiform syndrome (episindrome) is the common name for convulsive seizures that can be triggered by impaired brain function. Such a deviation is not a separate disease, it is only one of the manifestations of various pathologies.
With episindrome, seizures occur suddenly and also stop unexpectedly. They appear as a reaction of the central nervous system to stimuli. In this case, a focus of overexcitation is formed in the brain.
Seizures disappear forever after the cure of the underlying pathology. If this violation arose in childhood, then it does not affect the mental and physical development of the child.
Difference from epilepsy
It is very important to differentiate epileptiform syndrome from epilepsy. These are two different pathologies that have similar symptoms. Doctors distinguish the following main differences between these two diseases:
- Episyndrome is one of the manifestations of other diseases of the central nervous system. Epilepsy is a separate pathology that occurs in a chronic form.
- Various diseases can provoke the appearance of episindroma. The cause of epilepsy in most cases is a hereditary predisposition to this pathology.
- With episindrome, seizures occur sporadically. Epileptic seizures can bother the patient throughout life. In the absence of systematic therapy, convulsions occur very often.
- For an episindroma, it is uncharacteristic to bite the tongue and involuntary urination during an attack. These symptoms are inherent in epilepsy.
- Before a true epileptic seizure, the patient has an aura condition. These are symptoms that precede the onset of seizures. Before the onset of an attack, the patient develops discomfort in the body, numbness of the limbs, dizziness, visual disturbances, and a change in the perception of odors. With episindrome, a seizure always begins unexpectedly, without predecessors.
The first signs of epilepsy in 70% of cases appear in childhood. With a long course of pathology, the patient has mental disorders. Epileptics are characterized by frequent mood swings, depression, memory impairment and cognitive function. Episyndrome can develop in both children and adults. It is not accompanied by mental disorders.
Etiology
The causes of epileptiform syndrome in adults and children are slightly different. This pathology in a child most often has an inborn character. It is caused by various adverse factors affecting the fetus during the prenatal period:
- infectious diseases in the mother during pregnancy;
- fetal hypoxia;
- birth injuries.
In rare cases, children have an acquired episindrome. A convulsive attack can occur against a background of high temperature (more than +40 degrees) or with a lack of trace elements (potassium, sodium) in the body.
In adults, the episindrome is most often acquired. The following pathologies can provoke it:
- brain infections (encephalitis, meningitis);
- skull injuries;
- demyelinating pathologies (multiple sclerosis, etc.);
- brain tumors;
- hemorrhagic stroke;
- dysfunction of the parathyroid glands;
- profuse blood loss;
- heavy metal poisoning and sedative drugs;
- hypoxia due to drowning or asphyxiation.
Often convulsive attacks appear in people who abuse alcohol. Episindrome develops not only in chronic alcoholics. Sometimes a seizure of an excessive amount of alcohol-containing drinks is sufficient for a seizure.
ICD code
The international classification of diseases considers episindrome as symptomatic epilepsy. This pathology is included in the group of diseases accompanied by bouts of seizures. They appear under the code G40. The complete code for epileptiform syndrome according to ICD-10 is G40.2.
Symptomatology
This pathology can occur with a variety of symptoms. Manifestations of epileptiform syndrome depend on the location of the brain lesion. If the focus of excitement occurs in the frontal lobes, then during the attack the following symptoms appear:
- stretching arms and legs;
- sharp muscle tension throughout the body;
- painful spasm of chewing and facial muscles;
- rolling eyes;
- saliva flowing out of the mouth.
If the affected area is located in the temporal part of the brain, then the following manifestations are characteristic:
- confusion of consciousness;
- irritability or high spirits;
- stomach ache;
- fever;
- nausea and vomiting;
- auditory and visual hallucinations.
For the defeat of the parietal part, mainly neurological symptoms are characteristic:
- numbness of the limbs;
- movement coordination disorder;
- severe dizziness;
- fixing the gaze at one point;
- loss of spatial orientation;
- fainting.
With any localization of the focus of excitement, the attack is accompanied by a violation of consciousness. After the seizure, the patient does not remember anything and can not talk about his condition.
Quite often, such seizures are single. If seizures occur systematically, then doctors diagnose status epilepticus.
Features of episindrome in childhood
Epileptiform syndrome in children under the age of 1 year proceeds with pronounced symptoms. This is due to the fact that in infants the central nervous system is not yet fully formed. An attack in infants is accompanied by the following manifestations:
- At the beginning of the seizure, a strong contraction of the muscles of the whole body appears. There is a respiratory arrest.
- The child tightly presses his hands to the chest.
- The fontanel swells in the baby.
- The muscles are sharply tense, and the lower extremities are elongated.
- The kid throws back his head or makes rhythmic nods.
- Quite often, the attack is accompanied by vomiting and secretion of foam from the mouth.
Epileptiform syndrome at an older age is accompanied by convulsions of the face, which then pass to the whole body. Children over 2 years old can suddenly wake up and walk around the room in an unconscious state. However, they have no reaction to any stimuli.
Diagnostics
It is necessary to distinguish the episindrom from true epilepsy. Therefore, it is very important to conduct an accurate differential diagnosis.
Patients are given an MRI of the brain. This examination helps to identify the etiology of epileptiform syndrome. Foci of gliosis in the image indicate damage to neurons due to trauma or stroke. Doctors call glial changes proliferation of auxiliary brain cells. This is usually noted after the death of neurons.
An important method of differential diagnosis is an electroencephalogram. With episindrome, EEG may not show pathological changes. After all, foci of excitation in the brain appear only before an attack. With epilepsy, the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex is constantly increased.
Therapies
The episindrome disappears only after the elimination of its cause. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a course of therapy for the underlying disease. At the same time, symptomatic treatment of the epileptiform syndrome is carried out. The following groups of drugs are prescribed:
- Anticonvulsants: Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, Depakin, Convulex. These funds relieve cramps and reduce the frequency of seizures.
- Sedatives: Phenibut, Phenazepam, Elenium, Atarax. These drugs calm the focus of excitation in the brain and relax the muscles.
Herbal medicine is used as an additional treatment method. Patients are advised to take decoctions of violets, linden, tansy, ledum. These medicinal plants soothe the central nervous system.
With epileptiform syndrome, patients are shown a diet. Spicy and salty dishes should be excluded from the diet, as well as limit the amount of carbohydrates and proteins. Such foods can trigger an attack. It is recommended to reduce the amount of fluid consumed.
In most cases, episindrome lends itself to conservative therapy. Surgical treatment is rarely used. Neurosurgical operations are carried out only in the presence of neoplasms in the brain.
Forecast
This violation is only a symptom of other diseases. Therefore, the prognosis for epileptiform syndrome will completely depend on the nature of the underlying pathology. If this condition is provoked by infections, then such diseases respond well to antibiotic therapy. If the cause of the episindrome was a head injury, multiple sclerosis or stroke, then the treatment can be quite lengthy.
In general, the epileptiform syndrome has a favorable prognosis. If this violation arose in childhood, then by the puberty period attacks usually disappear. The episindrome does not lead to intellectual impairment and does not affect the mental development of the child. In most cases, seizures pass completely by the age of 14-15.