Long-term follow-up in children with benign convulsions associated with gastroenteritis

Background: The outcome of benign convulsions associated with gastroenteritis (CwG) has generally been reported as being excellent. However, these data need to be confirmed in studies with longer follow-up evaluations. Aim: To assess the long-term neurological outcome of a large sample of children presenting with CwG. Methods: We reviewed clinical features of 81 subjects presenting with CwG (1994-2010) from three different Italian centers with a follow-up period of at least 3 years. Results: Follow-up period ranged from 39 months to 15 years (mean 9.8 years). Neurological examination and cognitive level at the last evaluation were normal in all the patients. A mild attention deficit was detected in three cases (3.7%). Fourteen children (17.3%) received chronic anti-epileptic therapy. Interictal EEG abnormalities detected at onset in 20 patients (24.7%) reverted to normal. Transient EEG epileptiform abnormalities were detected in other three cases (3.7%), and a transient photosensitivity in one (1.2%). No recurrence of CwG was observed. Three patients (3.7%) presented with a febrile seizure and two (2.5%) with an unprovoked seizure, but none developed epilepsy. Conclusions: The long-term evaluation of children with CwG confirms the excellent prognosis of this condition, with normal psychomotor development and low risk of relapse and of subsequent epilepsy.