title: Epilepsy after stroke.
abstract: A retrospective follow-up of 200 consecutive stroke patients [ischemic brain infarction (IBI) 157, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) 20, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) 23] who were in need of ambulatory rehabilitation was conducted for a mean period of 40 months after stroke. Epilepsy developed in 33 (17%) patients. The occurrence of epilepsy was 14% in IBI, 15% in ICH, and 35% in SAH. Significantly more patients developed epilepsy in the SAH group than in the IBI group (8 of 23 vs. 22 of 157, p less than 0.05). Of the 33 patients, 15% had their first seizures within the first 2 weeks after stroke, and 55% developed epilepsy in 6 months. Forty-eight percent of the patients had generalized seizures. Antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment was started in 28 of 33 patients, of whom 17 still had seizures during follow-up. Epilepsy was an important consequence of stroke among patients who needed rehabilitation, especially in SAH patients. In most, this was due to arterial spasm leading to IBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotila
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Waltimo
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants