Abstract
BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic of Covid-19 on 11 March 2020. The lockdown caused a lifestyle changes: an increase in the use of mobile media devices (MMDs), sleep and psychiatric disorders, incorrect habits regarding food and physical activities.We investigate prevalence of admission for seizures at our emergency department (ED), during Italian lockdown, comparing with that of the same period of the previous year (2019), and the relationship with some lifestyle changes.MethodsIn this observational study, patients (4–14 years) with seizures that accessed at our ED, during Italian lockdown, were eligible. Non-epileptic events and febrile seizures were excluded. We describe two groups: patients with new-onset seizures and not. Moreover, a questionnaire concerning use of MMDs and sleep habits was administered.ResultsFifty-seven patients were included; median age 8.03 years. Considering only paediatric medical emergencies, the prevalence of accesses for seizures was 2.6% (CI 95% 0.020–0.034), while the incidence was 0.94% (CI 95% 0.006–0.0149). There was a statistically significant difference with prevalence of previous years, χ2 102.21 (p = 0.0001). We also reported a difference in daily screen time (DST) (p = 0.001) and total sleep time (TST) (p = 0.045), in all population, between period pre- and during lockdown. A negative correlation between DST and seizures latency (Spearman’s ρ -0.426, p = 0.038) was found. In the two groups, the results were partially overlapping.ConclusionsDuring lockdown period, we assisted to an increase of accesses for seizures. It is conceivable that a sleep time change and/or higher MMD use could act as triggers for seizures.
Highlights
Background The World HealthOrganization (WHO) declared a global pandemic of Covid-19 on 11 March 2020
We reported the number of patients with final epilepsy diagnosis or only single seizures, and we described them according to the new classification of seizures and epilepsy of International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) of 2017 [12]
Considering only patients with a diagnosis of focal epilepsy (FE) and generalized epilepsy (GE), we reported a negative correlation between daily screen time (DST) and seizure latency (Spearman’s ρ 0.426, p = 0.038)
Summary
Background The World HealthOrganization (WHO) declared a global pandemic of Covid-19 on 11 March 2020. Since according to literature [2, 3], we have witnessed a worldwide massive drop in emergency department (ED) paediatric admissions, partially due to both the higher prevalence of this disease in older age groups [4] and mildasymptomatic clinical course in children and adolescents [5]. This phenomenon is to relate, as well, to a reduction of other seasonal viral infections due to self-isolation and social distancing measures adopted by governments. An increase of mental health disorders, in the paediatric population, was observed (anxiety, depression, panic attacks) [7]
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