Partial seizures presenting as life-threatening apnea
Singh B, al Shahwan A, and al Deeb SM(1993) Partial seizures presenting as life-threatening apnea. Epilepsia 34:5 901–3.
Abstract: Apneic episodes, quite common in newborns, are considered rare after age 1 month, when gastroesophageal reflux, cardiac arrhythmias, idiopathic central apnea, and seizures become included in differential diagnosis. Determining the cause of apnea is important as treatment differs significantly and can be harmful; Caffeine given for presumed idiopathic central apnea is reported to have precipitated seizures in 2 patients with apneic seizures. Two cases of partial seizures presenting as apnea in infants were studied. Interictal EEG was normal in 1 and showed focal spikes in the other. Video EEG monitoring (16 channel) showed focal ictal discharge originating from temporal areas clearly preceding onset of apnea in both patients. Because therapeutic options are sometimes diametrically opposite and interictal EEGs are particularly unreliable for diagnosis, we recommend video-EEG monitoring if there is any doubt about the diagnosis before starting treatment in patients with apneic episodes.
Keywords: EEG, Apnea, Seizure, Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Focal Epilepsy, Infant
Context
- Report of 2 cases of partial seizures presenting as apnea in infants; caffeine, given for presumed idiopathic central apnea, may precipitate seizures. Video EEG showed ictal origin in the temporal lobe that preceded onset of respiratory arrest.