Post stroke seizures: descriptive study from a tertiary care centre in Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency, mode of onset and outcome of post stroke seizures in a local setting.


METHODS
The retrospective (Aug 1999 to July 2001) and prospective (August 2001 to July 2002) data of patients aged 14 years and above, with post stroke seizures was collected from a tertiary care centre in a metropolitan city. The demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory, neurophysiologic and outcome data was recorded and analyzed.


RESULTS
During the three year period 1548 patients with stroke were admitted to the hospital. Four hundred thirty one (28%) had intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and 1117 (72%) had ischaemic stroke. One hundred seventeen (8%) of the 1548 had seizures. Their mean age was 63 +/- 12 (range; 15-70) years. Fifty-nine (50%) were men and 58 (50%) were women. Twenty of 431(5%) patients with ICH and 97/1117 (9%) with ischaemic stroke, developed seizures. Nine of 117 (8%) developed a seizure within 14 days of stroke and 108/117 (92%) developed seizures after 14 days of stroke. Twenty-six (22%) had partial and 91 (78%) had generalized seizures. Two patients expired early in the course. Twenty four (21%) of these continued to have seizures at one year follow up. Fifteen of 37 (40%) patients who had systemic infections early in the course continued to have seizures at one year as compared to 9/80 (11%) who did not (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Frequency of post stroke seizures is the same as reported in western literature. Post stroke seizures are more common in patients with ischaemic stroke. Generalized seizures are more common than partial seizures. Systemic infections early in the course are associated with recurrence of seizures at one year.
Khealani
Bhojo A
BA
Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
Ali
Sajjad
S
Baig
Shahid M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*