The predictors of resistance to treatment in symptomatic and remote symptomatic patients with epilepsy

Purpose: The aim of the study is to determine the risk factors affecting treatment resistance in symptomatic and remote symptomatic patients with epilepsy and to show their prognostic effects on seizure and intelligence quotient. Materials and Methods: Symptomatic and remote symptomatic epilepsy patients with etiology who were followed at the Pediatric Neurology Clinic of Çukurova University for at least one year between March 2018 and March 2019 were evaluated cross-sectionally and 69 patients were included in the study. Results: In our study; short follow-up period, lack of remission history, presence of more than two drug use, and presence of congenital malformations among etiologic factors of the symptomatic and remote symptomatic patients were occurred to negative effects on the presence of the epileptic activity on seizure prognosis in the last EEG. When intelligence quotient was evaluated as prognostic factor, it is found out that first EEG abnormality, short follow-up period, congenital malformations in etiologic factors and neurological examination abnormalities were affected prognosis negatively. Conclusion: Symptomatic and remote symptomatic epilepsies poses risk to resistant epilepsy. Epilepsy and its multidrug treatments may have severe medical, social, psychological and economical effects. The patients and their families' living standards are negatively affected by drug side effects and frequent seizures. Because of this reason, it is vital to determine the risk factors affecting the resistance to treatment in epilepsy patients, to take precautions and to direct the patients to appropriate treatment. Keywords: Symptomatic epilepsy, resistant epilepsy, risk factors.