Clinical profile of new-onset seizures in the elderly

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the etiology of seizures in the elderly and types of seizure in elderly populations. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on patients of age more than 60 years with seizures and who satisfied inclusion and exclusion criteria, admitted in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) attached hospitals, Bengaluru, between November 2016 and October 2018. After obtaining ethical clearance and approval from the institutional ethics committee of BMCRI, written informed consent was taken from the patients. Detailed history was taken from all patients, and all patients underwent thorough clinical examination and investigations. The diagnostic probability was based on the clinical data obtained from the patient charts and the results of electroencephalography (EEG) and computed tomography (CT) scans. The etiology of seizures was determined on the basis of medical history, neurologic examination, EEG, and CT scans. Results: A total of 58 patients of new-onset seizure included in the study out of which 30 were male and 28 were female. Majority of the patients were aged between 60 and 70 years. Male-to-female ration was almost equal. GTCS was the major type of seizure. Cerebrovascular infarct was the most common etiology. Diabetes and hypertension (HTN) were the most common comorbid conditions. Conclusion: Seizure was the dominant manifestation of various underlying disorders in the elderly, of which cerebrovascular disease was the most common cause, followed by metabolic cause. Comorbidities such as diabetes and HTN also had an important role in seizure activity. GTCS was the most common type of seizure in the elderly.