[Epilepsy as a complication of bronchial asthma].

Epilepsy was recognized in 9 of 120 patients with bronchial asthma, aged 7-15 years, hospitalized in the Department of Allergology and Infectious Diseases in the Years 1989-1992. All the children had severe asthma attacks previously, six of them required hospitalisation at Intensive Care Unit. In 8 of the patients grand mal (generalised, tonic-clonic) seizures was observed, one child had absence state. Seizures were present both in the acute state of the asthma and during improvement. Anticonvulsant therapy was started immediately after diagnosis of epilepsy has been established. Clinical improvement with cease of seizures was noted there after. All the 9 patients had EEG examinations: 22 out of 29 performed, were abnormal.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Severe asthma attacks lasting for a considerable period of time, mainly 5 years, evoke epilepsy. 2. Undesirable signs of the antiasthmatic therapy on CNS was not found. 3. Accurate treatment of asthma seems to be the best prophylaxis of epilepsy.