title: Door-to-door prevalence survey of epilepsy in three Sicilian municipalities.
abstract: A door-to-door prevalence survey of epilepsy was conducted in 3 Sicilian municipalities, as of November 1, 1987. In phase 1, the screening by questionnaire of 24,496 eligible subjects (participation = 92%) identified 544 suspected to have epilepsy. In phase 2, neurological evaluation of the 544 subjects yielded 111 with epilepsy. Of the 111 subjects, 103 (93%) had been previously diagnosed, 68 (61%) were taking antiepileptic medication, and 81 (73%) had active epilepsy. Referring to the 81 subjects with active epilepsy, the seizure type was generalized in 60 (74%), partial in 19 (23%) and undetermined in 2 (3%). The prevalence of active epilepsy (per 1,000 population) was 3.3 overall, 3.5 for men and 3.2 for women. The age-specific patterns for active epilepsy differed by sex, with higher figures for men at younger ages (5-19 years) and older ages (50-99 years). The age-specific prevalence figures for active epilepsy were lower than those from previous Italian surveys.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. rocca@mayo.edu
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savettieri
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meneghini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grigoletto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morgante
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reggio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Perri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012640:Seizures / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology