[West syndrome: clinico-electro-anatomical characteristics and a differential therapeutical approach].

One hundred and thirty children with West syndrome, aged 1.5 months-2 years, were studied. The symptomatic form of West syndrome was diagnosed in 95.4% of cases. The prenatal etiological factors were observed in 57% of patients. Different variants of hypsarrhythmia at EEG were revealed in 87%. The percentage of cases with typical and modified hypsarrhythmia was 13.3% and 86.7%, respectively. The choice of treatment was based on the revealed disturbances on EEG and MRI that was useful for increasing the effectiveness of treatment of West syndrome resulting not only in the reduction of seizures and improvement of EEG but also in the stabilization of intellectual disintegration and recovery of functions. The basic drugs in the treatment were valproates used both as mono- and polytherapy.