Epileptiform K-complexes in Adult Patients with Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy

Typical EEG features of idiopathic generalized epilepsy are generalized spikes, polyspikes and spike-and-wave discharges. Occasionally epileptiform discharges (ED) overlap with normal physiologic transients of sleep, particularly with K-complexes. Earlier observations led to the suggestion that epil...

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Published inHuman physiology Vol. 47; no. 8; pp. 831 - 838
Main Authors Broutian, A. G., Belyakova-Bodina, A. I., Sharkova, S. M., Abramova, A. A., Shalimanova, E. V., Lukianova, A. A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.12.2021
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
EEG
Epilepsy
Human Physiology
Life Sciences
Sleep
epilepsy
idiopathic generalized epilepsy
epileptiform discharges
EEG
K-complexes
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Summary:Typical EEG features of idiopathic generalized epilepsy are generalized spikes, polyspikes and spike-and-wave discharges. Occasionally epileptiform discharges (ED) overlap with normal physiologic transients of sleep, particularly with K-complexes. Earlier observations led to the suggestion that epileptiform K‑complexes (EKC) represent the phenomenon of abnormal microarousal during sleep. Antiseizure medication (ASM) can suppress both ED and EKC. We analyzed overnight electroencephalograms (EEG) of 32 adult patients with IGE previously not treated with ASM. Mean age was 25.8 years (range 18–53). ED and EKC count along with sleep scoring were performed manually. EKC were seen in 30 patients (93,8%). In most EKC spikes and polyspikes preceded or overlapped with the first negative slope of K-complex. EKC may have higher amplitude and longer duration than regular K-complexes. Our results demonstrate that EKC are more common in patients with IGE than shown previously.
ISSN:0362-1197
1608-3164
DOI:10.1134/S0362119721080041