How many people live with rare epilepsies in spain? a nationwide count aims to find out
NCT ID NCT05982717
First seen Aug 18, 2026 · Last updated Aug 19, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at medical records from public hospitals in Spain to count how many children, teenagers, and adults have Dravet syndrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and how many new cases are diagnosed each year. It is an observational study, meaning no treatment or intervention is given—researchers simply review existing data from routine care. The goal is to better understand the number of people affected by these rare epilepsy syndromes in Spain.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- This study could provide a clearer picture of how common Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes are in Spain, helping to plan healthcare resources and support services for affected families.
- What could go wrong
- Because this is an observational study using medical records, it may miss some cases or include inaccurate diagnoses. The results may not apply to other countries.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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237 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2023
- Finished
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Apr 2025
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Participants diagnosed with DS or LGS at public hospitals in Spain will be enrolled in the study.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: A. Diagnosis criteria for DS: • All the following criteria must be met: i. Seizures onset within 1-20 months (usually within the first year of life). ii. Normal initial development prior to presentation (no cognitive or behavioural disability before the onset of seizures) followed by behaviour and cognitive impairment. iii. Recurrent focal clonic (hemiclonic) febrile and afebrile seizures (which often alternate sides from seizure to seizure), focal to bilateral tonicclonic, and/or generalized clonic seizures. • And at least one of the following criteria must be met: i. Emergence of other seizure type, including atypical absence seizures, myoclonic seizures, atonic seizures, or non-tonic-clonic status epilepticus between 1-4 years. ii. Seizures triggered by fever due to illness or vaccinations, hot baths, sudden temperature changes, high level of activity, or by strong lighting or exposure to certain visual patterns. iii. Mutations or copy number variants in the SCN1A gene. B. Diagnosis criteria for LGS: Given the uncertainties associated with the diagnosis of this condition, two different criteria will be used, a stricter criterion, intended to identify "pure" Lennox-Gastaut syndrome participants, and a wider criterion, intended to also include the so-called Lennox-Gastaut-like participants. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome - stricter criteria: • All the following criteria must be met: i. Seizures onset before 18 years of age, typically from 1 to 8 years. ii. Progressive development/cognition impairment after seizures onset. iii. Tonic seizures. iv. At least one additional seizure: generalised tonic-clonic seiures, atypical absence seizures, atonic seizures, myoclonic seizures, focal impaired awareness, epileptic spams, or non-convulsive status epilepticus v. Slow (\<2.5 hertz \[Hz\]) spike-and-wave EEG pattern. vi. Paroxysmal fast activity (10 Hz or greater) in sleep. Lennox-Gastaut syndrome - wider criteria: * At least one the following criteria must be met: i. Tonic seizures. ii. Multiple types of seizures, including generalised tonic-clonic seizures, atypical absence seizures, atonic seizures, myoclonic seizures, myoclonic-atonic seizures, focal seizures, epileptic spams, or nonconvulsive status epilepticus. * And at least one the following criteria must be met: i. Slow (\<2.5 Hz) spike-and-wave EEG pattern. ii. Paroxysmal fast activity (10 Hz or greater) in sleep. * And at least two of the following criteria must be met: i. Seizures onset before 18 years of age, typically from 1 to 8 years. ii. Progressive development/cognition impairment after seizures onset. iii. Development/cognition impairment starts prior to seizures onset. iv. History of Infantile epileptic spasms syndrome (IESS), West or Ohtahara syndromes. Exclusion Criteria 1. Participants with epileptic condition other than DS or LGS. 2. Participants with DS or LGS not residents in the reference area of the hospital.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo
Vigo, Pontevedra, 36312, Spain
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H. Universitario Infantil Niño Jesús
Madrid, 28009, Spain
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H. Universitario La Paz
Madrid, 28046, Spain
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Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe
Valencia, 46026, Spain
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- Blood markers may expose hidden brain changes in dravet syndrome
- Counting the uncounted: a nationwide look at two rare epilepsies
- Gene therapy hopes to tame severe childhood epilepsy
- Smart brain pacemaker aims to stop seizures while you sleep