A simple retrospective chart review in a single institution looked at the frequency of seizures in children with low grade tumours and the seizure outcome after lesionectomy. Of 280 children with low grade tumours, 55 (20%) had seizures. Of the 27 children with cortical tumours whose seizures began before the tumour was diagnosed, 23 had complete resection. About half of these 23 had no further seizures. Seizures were controlled in 84% of the 55 children at follow up (median 4.5 years after first seizure (1–17.4 years). A pericavity hyperintense signal on T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging and the occurrence of at least 10 seizures before treatment for seizures were associated with uncontrolled seizures. Lesionectomy may be appropriate in children with low grade brain tumours, say the authors.

A large prospective study from Korea involving nearly 800,000 civil servants found an association between haemorrhagic stroke and low blood cholesterol, among other objectives, but only in …