Abstract
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent chronic non-communicable neurological disorder. Persons with epilepsy (PWE) have unique characteristics that have social impacts on the affected individuals and their family. This study sought to describe the profile of patients with epilepsy attending the out-patient neurology clinic in a tertiary health care centre in North West Nigeria. The study was carried out at Neurology clinic of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Kaduna State, Nigeria from August 2013 to October 2014. Consecutively presenting PWE on follow-up were recruited after obtaining ethical approval and informed consent. Those recruited were at least 18 years and have been on routine follow-up for at least 1 year. Patients with clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) features suggestive of non-epileptic seizures, acute metabolic or febrile illness precipitating seizures were excluded. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain all relevant information. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 17 with p-value set at less than 0.05. A total of 103 PWE were recruited with median age of 29 years. More than 50% were in the 21-30 years age group. About 55.3% were single (never married), 58.2% were unemployed and earned < ₦50,000.00 monthly income. The median age of onset of epilepsy was 20 years, while median duration of illness was 7 years. About 50.5% were focal seizures, with traumatic head injury (14.6%) and febrile convulsion (12.6%) as aetiological factors, while 52.5% of them had no identifiable aetiological factor. About 96% were on antiepileptic drug monotherapy, 82% of them on carbamazepine only for a median duration of 7.5 years. Our study shows that epilepsy is predominant among the young population, who are mostly single (never married), unemployed, with poor monthly income occurring more as focal seizure type, with majority of them on carbamazepine monotherapy. There is the need for public enlightenment campaign and effort targeted at mitigating the prevalence of the disease among the young and productive population.
Highlights
Epilepsy is a common chronic non-communicable medical condition or group of disorders of the brain with unique characteristics social impacts on the affected individuals and their family; and it is prevalent is subSaharan Africa including Nigeria.[1,2] Epilepsy accounts for 0.5% of the global burden of disease, a time-based measure that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality and time lived in less than full health.[3]
Many underlying disease mechanisms can lead to epilepsy, the cause of the disease is still unknown in about 50% of cases globally.[3]
The causes of epilepsy are divided into the following categories: structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown. 3,5 Currently International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) defined epilepsy as disease of the brain characterized by at least two unprovoked seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart or one unprovoked seizure and a probability of at least 60% of having further seizures over the 10 years or a diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome.[6]
Summary
Epilepsy is a common chronic non-communicable medical condition or group of disorders of the brain with unique characteristics social impacts on the affected individuals and their family; and it is prevalent is subSaharan Africa including Nigeria.[1,2] Epilepsy accounts for 0.5% of the global burden of disease, a time-based measure that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality and time lived in less than full health.[3] About 85 % of the burden of the disease is in the developing world, where over 60% of the people with epilepsy (PWE) receive no treatment at all.[4] many underlying disease mechanisms can lead to epilepsy, the cause of the disease is still unknown in about 50% of cases globally.[3] The causes of epilepsy are divided into the following categories: structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown. It is anticipated to serve as a tool for enlightenment campaigns about the disease and to be utilized in the advocacy for persons with epilepsy
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