Study of Clinical Profile of Epilepsy in Children Admitted in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Ward in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Seizures constitute the commonest neurological problem in children and most common neurological emergency attended by Paediatrician. Because of unpredictability of recurrence ,varied manifestation and underlying etiology, seizure disorder was always shrouded in mysticism and false beliefs. Present study was done to know seizure type, etiology , EEG and MRI findings in Paediatric population admitted in PICU and Paediatric ward of a tertiary care Hospital. Methodology: It was descriptive study from April 2019 to September 2020.Study protocol was approved by Institutional Ethics Committee.Results: 60 patients with Epilepsy admitted in Paediatric intensive care unit and Paediatric ward were included in the study. Mean age of children in this study was 5.6 years (+/- 4.76 years), 70% were males. Generalised motor type of epilepsy was most common type of presentation (95%) while focal to generalised was 5% (According to International League Against Epilepsy 2017 Classification).Out of Motor type tonic-clonic were 55(94.6%),epileptic spasms were seen in 2(3.6%) while absence seizures was seen in 1(1.8%).Epileptic syndrome was seen in 5(8.7%)Most common type of etiology was Genetic53(88%).EEG findings in 23(38.5%) were Generalised slow-waves and generalised bursts in 17(28.3%) and normal in 8(13.35%). MRI findings were normal in majority of patients 49(81.6%).Conclusion: Most common type of etiology was Genetic (ILAE-2017).Commonest presentation was Generalised motor tonic-clonic and most common type of EEG finding was Generalised slow wave discharges. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain findings were normal in majority of patients 49 (81.6%). MRI brain should be done only in selected patients with history of birth asphyxia, structural abnormalities of brain, global developmental delay andMicrocephaly.