LENNOX'S SYNDROME AND LEAD INTOXICATION

Abstract

Three male and two female children with Lennox's syndrome linked etiologically with lead intoxication were followed for up to three years. The diagnosis of Lennox's syndrome was made on the basis of clinical and EEG findings which are categorized in detail. Biochemical determinations used for the detection of "undue absorption of lead" were lead blood levels, urinary lead excretion, and delta-amino-levulinic-acid dehydratase (ALA-D) concentration in erythrocytes, considering a positive diagnosis of lead intoxication upon the finding of decreased enzymatic activity plus values higher than normal for lead blood levels or lead excretion in urine. Significant improvement in the EEG abnormalities and/or the number of seizures has been observed in these five patients after specific treatment of their plumbism, without changes being made in the concomitant anticonvulsant therapy. Two patients are free of seizures and their EEGs became normal. Two other patients had only one seizure in the last year and their EEGs now show only sporadic spike foci. These findings open new possibilities for etiological diagnosis and therapeutic approach for some of the patients with chronic epileptic encephalopathies with slow spike-and-wave discharges in the EEG.