Objectives: Febril convulsion (FC) head trauma (HT) and perinatal events (PE) are the most important risk factors for epilepsy development. In this study, we aimed to show to what extent these factors contribute in sporadical and familial epilepsy.

Material and Methods: Five hundred and eighty currently diagnosed epilepsy patients were followed-up for 14 months. Patients were classified as “familial epilepsy” if there is a history of epilepsy in their first or second degree relative, and as “sporadical epilepsy” if there is not. Then, a detailed anamnesis revealed the distribution of risk factors.

Results: Of the total 580 patients 16.2% were familial and 83.8% were sporodical epilepsy patients. In familial epilepsy patients the rates of FC was 23.4%, HT was 4.3% and PE was 5.3%. In sporadical epilepsy patients the rates for FC, HT and PE were 8.6%, 1.6% and 2.9%, respectively.

Conclusion: FC rates were found to be significantly higher in familial epilepsy. It was considered that FC in familial epilepsy is a leading sign rather than a risk factor. HT and PE rates were similar in sporadical and familial epilepsy patients. It was considered that HT and PE are not additional risk factors, particularly, in familial epilepsy, but probably they are triggering factors. ©2007, Firat University, Medical Faculty