ILAE definition of the Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy Syndromes: Position statement by the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions.

Authors

• Edouard Hirsch
• Jacqueline French
• Ingrid E Scheffer
• Alicia Bogacz
• Taoufik Alsaadi
• Michael R Sperling
• Fatema Abdulla
• Sameer M Zuberi
• Eugen Trinka
• Nicola Specchio
• Ernest Somerville
• Pauline Samia
• Kate Riney
• Rima Nabbout
• Satish Jain
• Jo M Wilmshurst
• Stephane Auvin
• Samuel Wiebe
• Emilio Perucca
• Solomon L Moshé
• Paolo Tinuper
• Elaine C Wirrell

Publication/Presentation Date

6-1-2022

Abstract

In 2017, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Classification of Epilepsies described the "genetic generalized epilepsies" (GGEs), which contained the "idiopathic generalized epilepsies" (IGEs). The goal of this paper is to delineate the four syndromes comprising the IGEs, namely childhood absence epilepsy, juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures alone. We provide updated diagnostic criteria for these IGE syndromes determined by the expert consensus opinion of the ILAE's Task Force on Nosology and Definitions (2017-2021) and international external experts outside our Task Force. We incorporate current knowledge from recent advances in genetic, imaging, and electroencephalographic studies, together with current terminology and classification of seizures and epilepsies. Patients that do not fulfill criteria for one of these syndromes, but that have one, or a combination, of the following generalized seizure types: absence, myoclonic, tonic-clonic and myoclonic-tonic-clonic seizures, with 2.5-5.5 Hz generalized spike-wave should be classified as having GGE. Recognizing these four IGE syndromes as a special grouping among the GGEs is helpful, as they carry prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Volume

63

Issue

6

First Page

1475

Last Page

1499

ISSN

1528-1167

Published In/Presented At

Hirsch, E., French, J., Scheffer, I. E., Bogacz, A., Alsaadi, T., Sperling, M. R., Abdulla, F., Zuberi, S. M., Trinka, E., Specchio, N., Somerville, E., Samia, P., Riney, K., Nabbout, R., Jain, S., Wilmshurst, J. M., Auvin, S., Wiebe, S., Perucca, E., Moshé, S. L., … Wirrell, E. C. (2022). ILAE definition of the Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy Syndromes: Position statement by the ILAE Task Force on Nosology and Definitions. Epilepsia, 63(6), 1475–1499. https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.17236

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

35503716

Department(s)

Department of Medicine

Document Type

Article