[Frequency, semiology and prognosis of Panayiotopoulos syndrome].

Introduction: Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS) is an epileptic syndrome of childhood. Until now only a small number of studies have been published about this syndrome.

Aim: To study the frequency, semiology and prognosis of PS.

Patients And Methods: all patients with one or more unprovoked seizures seen at our hospital between 1 June 1994 and 1 March 2011 (n = 827) were included and prospectively followed until 30 April 2018. A diagnosis of PS was made in patients that fulfilled all the following criteria at six month of evolution: seizures with predominantly autonomic symptoms, presence of high amplitude, «functional morphology», focal spikes and slow wave complexes in any location, absence of a previous neurological deficit and normal neuroimaging.

Results: 27 cases (3,3%) met the diagnostic criteria. Semiology of the seizures was similar to that described by other authors. 88% of these cases attained a 3-year initial remission without antiepileptic treatment (three years both without seizures and without treatment). 62 cases (7,5%) met all the diagnostic criteria with the exception of the presence of the EEG features. Semiology of these cases was similar and 85% attained a 3-year initial remission without antiepileptic treatment.

Conclusions: In daily practice, patients with a clinical picture suggestive of PS but without the typical EEG features are common. This group of patients also have a good outcome.