EVOLUTION OF EPILEPSY ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 IN A TERTIARY PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN NORTHERN MEXICO AFTER THREE YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC

Abstract

Background: Apart from new-onset seizures due to acute illness, the impact of COVID-19 on patients with pre-existing epilepsy has been immense. Aims: To study patients after three years of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to assess the prevalence of new-onset seizures resulting from COVID-19 infections, the prevalence of seizure exacerbations in people with epilepsy, and the evolution of epilepsy. Methods: A descriptive, prospective, observational, and longitudinal study. Inclusion criteria were patients with epilepsy as a presenting symptom of COVID-19 confirmed with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for SARS-CoV2 by nasopharyngeal swab from March 2020-July 2021 in a tertiary private hospital. Study variables were age, gender, type, and evolution of epilepsy. It was classified into three groups: acute symptomatic seizures, the onset of epilepsy, and uncontrolled epilepsy. Information was captured in Excel and analyzed in SPSS. Results: Of 203,987 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in Nuevo León until July 2021, 10 patients (0.004%) were included with seizures. Two patients had acute symptomatic seizures (20%), four patients had new-onset seizures (40%) and four patients (40%) had uncontrolled epilepsy with an average epilepsy evolution time of 15.75 years. Focal seizures were predominant in 63%. After three years of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023, 75% of patients continued with uncontrolled epilepsy with the use of the antiseizure drug. Conclusion: Our study shows that there is evidence of the susceptibility of people with COVID-19 to present acute symptomatic seizures, new-onset seizures, and uncontrolled epilepsy, with an unfavorable course of epilepsy continuing with uncontrolled seizures and use of anti-seizure drugs, which agrees with what is reported in the literature.