Resective Surgery for Intractable Focal Epilepsy in Patients with Low IQ: Predictors for Seizure Control and Outcome with Respect to Seizures and Neuropsychological and Psychosocial Functioning

Purpose: To investigate possible predictive factors for seizure control in a group of children and adults with low IQs (IQ, ≤70) who underwent resective surgery for intractable focal epilepsy and to study outcome with respect to seizures and neuropsychological functioning. We also studied psychosocial outcome in the adult patients. Methods: Thirty‐one patients (eight children younger than 18 years) with a Wechsler Full Scale IQ of 70 or less underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments before and 2 years after surgery. Adults also completed the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory (WPSI). Univariate analyses were used to identify variables differentiating between patients who became seizure free and those who did not. Pre‐ and postoperative test results were compared by t test for dependent samples. Results: Forty‐eight percent of the patients became seizure free, 52% of those with temporal lobe resection and 38% of those with extratemporal resection. Only one variable was predictive for seizure outcome: duration of epilepsy. In one third of the patients, who had the shortest duration of epilepsy (