The frequency of occurrence of benign partial epilepsy in infancy (BPEI) in a first line general hospital was determined among 75 patients presenting with epilepsy in the first 2 years of age and evaluated between 1987 and 1993 at the Departments of Paediatrics, Anjo Kosei Hospital, Anjo Aichi, and Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. Twenty two (29%) fulfilled the definition of BPEI: partial or secondary generalized seizures, clusters of seizures in 17, normal development, normal EEG, and good response to treatment. Average age at onset was 5.9 months. Average seizure persistence was 3 months. [1]
COMMENT. Contrary to previous reports BPEI in this study was not rare. When cases of West’s syndrome were excluded from the group, nearly half the patients presenting with epilepsy in the first two years of life fulfilled the criteria for BPEI. The initial manifestations of the BPEI observed at this center were impaired consciousness, decreased responsiveness, and cyanosis.