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PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between continuous electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring patterns and prognosis for children with severe brain damage. Patients and METHODS The different patterns of EEG were analyzed for 103 children (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score < 8) who were monitored with continuous video-EEG (CVEEG) within 72 hours after the onset of coma. The clinical outcomes were scored and evaluated at hospital discharge by the modified Pediatric Cerebral and Overall Performance Category Scale (PCOPCS). EEG parameters of the different prognosis groups were compared and risk factors for prognosis were identified. RESULTS Of the 103 children, 36 were in the good prognosis group (PCOPCS scores 1 and 2) and 67 were in the poor prognosis group (PCOPCS scores 3-6). The poor prognosis group had the lower proportion of events in reactive EEG patterns and sleep architecture, and a higher proportion of low-voltage events. Multivariate analyses showed that the lower GCS score and no sleep architecture were significantly associated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Comatose children with higher GCS score and sleep architecture have better clinical outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality.

To investigate the changes of clinical and EEG features in children with febrile seizures which are prone to epilepsy four years after antiepileptic drugs valproate and/or topiramate treatment.One hundred and thirty-two children with febrile seizures between 2004 and 2005 and who had the indications of antiepileptic drugs treatment were administered with oral valproate and/or topiramate treatment. The children were followed up for four years. Routine blood tests, liver and renal function tests were performed twice a year. Sleeping activation EEG examination was performed once a year.During the follow-up of 1 to 10 years, 108 (98.2%) out of 110 children with valproate monotherapy were seizure-free. In the 110 cases, 95 were in the drug withdrawl and 10 were in the drug reduction. All of 13 cases receiving topiramate monotherapy were seizure-free and were in the drug withdrawl. None of the patients showed abnormalities in routine blood tests, liver and renal functions tests. Sleeping activation EEG showed normal in 102 cases, focal discharges in 8 cases, bilateral synchronized spikes in 4 cases and 3Hz spikes and polyspikes in 2 cases.Early use of antiepileptic drugs valproate or topiramate is effective and safe in children with febrile seizures which are prone to epilepsy. The majority of the children have a normal sleeping activation EEG after antiepileptic drug therapy.