Factors triggering epileptic seizures in patients over 50 years

Main Article Content

Serkan Demir
Rifat Togrol
Ali Rıza Sonkaya
Mustafa Tansel Kendirli
Semih Alay
Tugba Yanar Celik
Sakir Delil
Mehmet Fatih Ozdag

Abstract

Objective:In this study the factors that trigger the seizures in epileptic patients over the age of 50 was investigated and the frequency of seizures was analyzed regarding different age, gender, type of seizure and etiological groups.


Method:  For this purpose, 387 patients were included in the study who were admitted to neurology outpatient clinic with the diagnosis of epilepsy. The patients are divided into groups based on those characteristics: male / female, generalized seizure / partial seizure, age between 50 and 65 / age over 65, they were evaluated in terms of seizure triggers.


Result: The most common precipitating factor in all groups were found as stress (37%), sleeplessness (27%) and forgetting to take the medication (20%). 31% of the patients were on Carbamazepine, 21% were on Levetiracetam and 19% were on Valproic Asid. The most common etiological causes were identified as idiopathic (39%), poststroke(24%) and dementia (15%). Regarding the triggering factor, some statistically significant differences were found between the following groups and control groups; the group with patients between the age 50 and 65: stress, fatigue, waking and sleeping; the group with female patients: sleeplessness; the group with the generalized seizures: alcohol and sleep. 


Conclusion:  In conclusion 68% of our patients complained about at least one seizure precipitant and the most common precipitants were stress, sleeplessness and missing dose of medication. In this study, age between 50 and 65 group is more affected by triggers.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Demir, S. ., Togrol, R. ., Sonkaya, A. R., Kendirli, M. T., Alay, S. ., Celik, T. Y., Delil, S. ., & Ozdag, M. F. (2016). Factors triggering epileptic seizures in patients over 50 years. Medical Science and Discovery, 3(1), 40–46. Retrieved from https://medscidiscovery.com/index.php/msd/article/view/138
Section
Research Article

References

Shovon S.D. Epidemiology, classification, natural history and genetics of epilepsy. Lancet 1990;336: 93- 96

Banerjee PN, Filippi D, Hauser WA. The descriptive epidemiology of epilepsy. Epilepsy Research 2009; 85:31-45

Hauser WA. Seizure disorders: the chances with age. Epilepsia 1992;33(suppl4):6-7

Spector S, Cull C, Goldstein LH. Seizure precipitants and perceived self-control of seizures in adults with poorly-controlled epilepsy. Epilepsy Research 2000; 38; 207- 216

Courte DL, Breteler MM, Meinardi H, Hauser A, Hoffman A. Prevelance of epilepsy in the elderly: the Rotterdam study: Epilepsia 1996;37:141-147

Stephen L, Brodie M. Epilepsy in elderly people. The Lancet 2000;355:1441-1446

DeToledo JC. Changing presentation of seizeures with aging: Clinical and etiological factors. Gerontology 1999;45:329-335

Cloyd J, Hauser W, Towne A, Ramsay R, Mattson R, Gliam F, Walczak T. Epidemiological and medical aspects of epilepsy in the elderly. Epilepsy Research 2006;68:39-48

Tascılar NF, Bozdemır H, Aslan K, Sarıca Y, Seydaolu G. Yaşlı epilepsi hastalarında elektroensefalografinin yeri. Epilepsi 2006;12(1):32-41

Mendez MF, Catanzaro P, Doss RC. Seizures in Alzheimer's disease: Clinicopathologic study. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1994;7:230-233

Wilmore LJ. Management of epilepsy in the elderly. Epilepsia 1996;37(6):23-33

Stephen L, Brodie M. Epilepsy in elderly people. The Lancet 2000;355:1441-1446

Berkovic SF: Treatment with anti- epileptic drugs. Aust Fam Physician. 2005; 34: 1017-1020.

Dorothee GA. Provaked and reflex seizures: Suprising and common? Epilepsia 2012; 53(4):105-112

Pinikahana J, Dono J. Age and gender differences in initial symptoms and precipitant factors of epileptic seizures: An Australian study. Epilepsy and Behaviour 2009; 16: 231-239

Lunardi MDS, Sukys-Claudino L, Guarnieri R, Walz R, Lin K. Seizure precipitants and inhibiting factors in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Journal of the neurological sciences 2011;308:21-24

Spector S, Cull C,Goldstein L. Seizure precipitants and perceived self-control of seizures in adults with poorly-controlled epilepsy. Epilepsy Research 2000;38:207-216

Fang PC, Chen YC, Lee IC. Seizure precipitants in children with intractable epilepsy. Brain & Development 2008; 30 527–532

Oto R, Apak İ, Arslan S, Yavavlı A, Altındağ A, Karaca EE. Epilepsinin psikososyal etkileri. Klinik Psikyatri Dergisi 2004; 7:210-214

Baker GA, Jacoby A, Buck D. Quality of life people with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1997; 38: 353-362

Nancy RT, Gay D. Stress as a risk factor for seizure among adults with epilepsy. Epilepsia 2008; 43: 456-468

Chadwick D. Epilepsy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1994;57(3):264-77

Swinkels WA, Kuyk J, van Dyck R, Spinhoven P. Psychiatric comorbidity in epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2005;7:37-50.

Sachdev P. Schizophrenia-like psychosis and epilepsy: the status of the association. Am J Psychiatry. 1998;155:325-336.

Kristensen O, Sindrup EH. Psychomotor epilepsy and psychosis. I. Physical aspects. Acta Neurol Scand. 1978;57:361-369

Slater E, Beard AW, Glithero E. The schizophrenialike psychoses of epilepsy. Br J Psychiatry. 1963;109:95-150

Suurmeijer TP, Reuvekamp MF, Aldenkamp BP. Social functioning, psychological functioning, and quality of, life in epilepsy. Epilepsia 2001;42(9):1160-1168

Jalava M, Sillanpaa M. Concurrent illness in adult with childhood-onset epilepsy: a population-based 35 year follow up study. Epilepsia 1996;1155-1163

Nancy RT, Gay D. Stress as a risk factor for seizure among adults with epilepsy. Epilepsia 2008; 43: 456-468Silber MH. Sleep Disorders. Neurol Clin 2001;1,173-186

Baker GA, Jacoby A, Buck D. Quality of life people with epilepsy. Epilepsia 1997; 38: 353-362

Nakken KO, Solaas MH, Kjeldsen MJ. Which seizures precitating factors do patients with epilepsy most frequently report? Epilepsy Behav 2005;6:185-189

Frucht MM, Quigg M, Schwazer C. Distrubituion of seizure precipitants among epilepsy syndromes. Epilepsia 2000;41:1534-1539

Sperling MR, Schilling CA, Glosser D, Tracy JI. Self-perception of seizure precipitants and their relation the anxiety level, depression, and health locus of control in epilepsy. Seizure 2008;17:302-307

Hart YM, Shorvon SD. The Nature Of Epilepsy İn Teh General Population: I: characteristics of of patients receiving medication for epilpsy. Epilepsy Res 1995; 21:43- 49

Cull CA, Fowler M, Brown SW. Perceived self control of seizures in young people with epilpsy. Seizure 1996;5:131-138

Friedman RA, Cacheaux LP, Ivens S, Kaufer D. Elucidating the complex interactions between stres and epileptogenic pathways. Cardiovasc Psychiatry Neurol. 2011; 10; 1-8

Salgado PC, Souza EA. Quality of life in epilepsy and perception of seizure control. Arg Neuropsiquiatr 2001; 59: 537-40.

Birbeck GL, Ron D, Hays RD et al. Seizure reduction and quality of life improvements in people with epilepsy. Epilepsia 2002; 43:535-8.

Silber MH. Sleep Disorders. Neurol Clin 2001;1,173-186

www.sleepfoundatiom.org Women and Sleep

Most read articles by the same author(s)