Predictors of drug-resistance in epilepsy with auditory features.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate predictors of drug-resistance in epilepsy with auditory features (EAF).

METHODS

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) was defined according to International League Against Epilepsy guidelines. For univariate analysis, the chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Mann-Whitney test were used. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of predictors were estimated by logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients (52 male) between the ages of 13.0 and 78.8 years were included in this cohort. In univariate analysis, ten variables, including age at seizure onset < or = 10 years, febrile seizures, psychiatric disorders, seizures during sleep, multiple first ictal symptoms, electroencephalogram epileptiform discharges during waking, non-specific abnormalities in electroencephalogram, oxcarbazepine as the first drug, oxcarbazepine in the first two drugs and valproic acid in the first two drugs, showed possibilities as prognostic factors of EAF (p < 0.10). After logistic regression analyses, two positive predictors of drug-resistance, including age at seizures onset < or = 10 (OR = 6.37, 95% CI = 1.08-37.7, p = 0.041) and seizures during sleep (OR = 4.42, 95% CI = 1.45-13.48, p = 0.009) were found. Oxcarbazepine as the first AED is a negative predictive factor of drug-resistance (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.06-0.84, p = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

Three predictors may help early diagnosis of DRE in EAF. Early use of oxcarbazepine is a negative predictor of drug-resistance, which may provide an intervention point to minimize the risk of drug-resistance.