ILAE Official Report: A practical clinical definition of epilepsy

Abstract

Summary Epilepsy was defined conceptually in 2005 as a disorder of the brain characterized by an enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures. This definition is usually practically applied as having two unprovoked seizures >24 h apart. The International League Against Epilepsy ( ILAE) accepted recommendations of a task force altering the practical definition for special circumstances that do not meet the two unprovoked seizures criteria. The task force proposed that epilepsy be considered to be a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions: (1) At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring >24 h apart; (2) one unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years; (3) diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome. Epilepsy is considered to be resolved for individuals who either had an age‐dependent epilepsy syndrome but are now past the applicable age or who have remained seizure‐free for the last 10 years and off antiseizure medicines for at least the last 5 years. “Resolved” is not necessarily identical to the conventional view of “remission or “cure.” Different practical definitions may be formed and used for various specific purposes. This revised definition of epilepsy brings the term in concordance with common use. A PowerPoint slide summarizing this article is available for download in the Supporting Information section here .

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Affiliated Institutions

• Great Ormond Street Hospital GB
• University of California, Los Angeles US
• Stanford University US
• Universidad de la República de Uruguay UY
• Umeå University SE
• Royal Children's Hospital AU
• Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon FR
• University College London GB
• Mattel Children's Hospital US
• Columbia University US
• Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health AU
• Epilepsy Ireland IE
• Yonsei University KR
• University of Bonn DE
• Montefiore Medical Center US
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine US
• University of Calgary CA
• New York University US
• University of Pavia IT
• Hospices Civils de Lyon FR
• National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry JP
• Austin Health AU
• Karolinska Institutet SE

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