STUDY OF CLINICAL-ETIOLOGICAL PROFILE AND EEG CHANGES IN EPILEPTIC CHILDREN AGED 6 MONTHS TO 12 YEARS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN ODISHA

Objective: To study the clinical profile, etiological classification, and EEG changes in epileptic children aged 6 months to 12 years. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital, Bhubaneswar, from March 2023 to February 2025. A total of 63 pediatric patients with a history of two or more unprovoked seizures were evaluated using clinical assessment, interictal EEG, and neuroimaging. Risk factor analysis was done using relative risk (R/R) estimates. Results: Generalized seizures were predominant (68.25%). Abnormal EEG findings were noted in 55.56% of patients. Etiological classification revealed 41.27% genetic, 30.15% remote symptomatic, and 28.57% symptomatic epilepsy. Significant associations were found between epilepsy and cognitive impairment (R/R = 1.1), neonatal seizures (R/R = 1.5), atypical febrile seizures (R/R = 1.51), and family history (R/R = 1.24). Neuroimaging abnormalities were present in 40% of imaged patients, with periventricular leukomalacia being the most common. Conclusion: EEG and neuroimaging are vital in evaluating pediatric epilepsy. Genetic epilepsy was most common in our cohort, differing from Western data. Several identifiable risk factors demonstrated significant associations.