An Unusual Cause of Recurrent Paroxysmal Abdominal Pain in Adults

Abstract

성인의 반복성 발작성 복통은 드물게는 측두엽간질에 속하는 "복부간질"로 생길 수 있다. 이 증상은 두통, 안면홍조, 구역질외에 경우에 따라서는 순간적인 의식소실과 같은 중추신경계 자극증상, 간질뇌파형 및 항경련제에 대한 증상치료로 "과민성대장증후군", "편두통"등 다른 질환과 간별이 될 수 있다. 이번 연구에서 저자는 항경련제 치료로 반복성 발작성 복통이 치료된 다섯명의 환자에서 복부 간질로 인한 다양한 위장관질환, 중추신경장애, 특징적인 뇌파소견 및 뇌핵자기공명영상을 검토해 보고자 한다.

Paroxysmal, recurrent abdominal pain in adults is uncommonly caused by abdominal epilepsy, which is one spectrum of temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE). It may be distinguished from the irritable bowel syndrome or migraine by the presence of central nervous system complaints including transient loss of consciousness, by response to antiepileptic medication and by epileptiform discharges in EEG. In this report, we review the variety of gastrointestinal symptoms and central nervous system disturbances, specific encephalographic abnormalities and abnormal brain MRI findings of abdominal epilepsy. A striking response to anticonvulsant medication was seen in all adult patients.

Paroxysmal, recurrent abdominal pain in adults is uncommonly caused by abdominal epilepsy, which is one spectrum of temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE). It may be distinguished from the irritable bowel syndrome or migraine by the presence of central nervous system complaints including transient loss of consciousness, by response to antiepileptic medication and by epileptiform discharges in EEG. In this report, we review the variety of gastrointestinal symptoms and central nervous system disturbances, specific encephalographic abnormalities and abnormal brain MRI findings of abdominal epilepsy. A striking response to anticonvulsant medication was seen in all adult patients.