To determine whether awake EEG criteria can differentiate epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike and waves during sleep (EE-CSWS) at the time of cognitive regression from typical, self-limited focal epilepsy (SFE). Methods: This retrospective case-control study was based on the analysis of awake EEGs and included 15 patients with EE-CSWS and 15 age-matched and sex-matched patients with typical SFE. The EEGs were anonymised and scored by four independent readers. The following qualitative and quantitative EEG indices were analysed: slowwave index (SLWI), spike-wave index (SWI), spike-wave frequency (SWF), long spike-wave clusters (CLSW) and EEG score (between grades 0 and 4). Sensitivity and specificity were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and their reproducibility with a kappa test. Results: Based on a highly sensitive cut-off, EE-CSWS patients were 8.4 times more likely than those with SFE to have an SLWI > 6%, 15 times more likely to have an SWI > 10 % and six times more likely to have a CLSW of ≥ 1 s. There was substantial agreement between readers (with kappa values of 0.64, 0.69 and 0.67). EE-CSWS patients were 13 times more likely to have an SWF of > 11 % and 149 times more likely to have an EEG score of ≥ 3 than typical SFE patients. Agreement about these ratings was almost perfect (kappa 0.91 and 0.86). Conclusion:An EEG score of ≥ 3 on a 20-min awake EEG differentiates typical SFE from EE-CSWS at the time of cognitive regression, with good reliability across readers with different levels of expertise.

Recessive mutations in the SLC13A5 gene encoding the sodium‐dependent citrate transporter are a recently identified cause of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. Here, we describe a child harboring a novel homozygous loss‐of‐function mutation in the SLC13A5 gene (c.1496C>T–p.Ser499Phe) and exhibiting an unusual extremely severe neonatal presentation with drug‐resistant seizures and burst‐suppression EEG pattern. Early carbamazepine use resulted in dramatic improvement both clinically and on EEG features. Follow‐up from the neonatal period to the age of 4 years is documented. This case expands the electro‐clinical phenotype associated with SLC13A5‐related disease and confirms the efficacy and safety of carbamazepine in nonstructural early‐onset epilepsies.

Ictal vomiting is a rare condition easily misdiagnosed as a common disease. We report two children presenting with retching and vomiting as the main ictal manifestation. Patient 1 was a four‐year‐old girl with a history of daily nocturnal vomiting for two months, first interpreted as a functional disorder, then as a viral infection. She presented with vomiting accompanied by focal right‐sided hemifacial clonic jerking, occurring multiple times per day. Video‐EEG demonstrated ictal discharges associated with the retching and vomiting, over a normal background, and occasional interictal focal spikes. MRI was normal. PET demonstrated left‐sided opercular hypometabolism. Patient 2 was a girl with a history of focal epilepsy, secondary to a right central dysembryoplastic tumour, first resected with subsequent seizure freedom at the age of three years. At five years of age, she presented with recurrent episodes of retching and vomiting initially diagnosed as migraine. Video‐EEG showed ictal discharges, clinically correlating with retching, vomiting and clonic facial jerking, with normal interictal activity. Brain MRI showed a progression of the tumour. A second resection resulted in seizure freedom. Ictal vomiting often goes undiagnosed, especially in children, causing treatment delays. An ictal origin should be considered, particularly when the episodes are recurrent and stereotyped. [Published with video sequences].

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