title: Prevalence and correlates of epileptic seizure in substance-abusing subjects.
abstract: Life-time prevalence of epileptic seizures was assessed in 626 consecutive patients treated for substance abuse. Seizures were reported in 8.63% (9.2% in alcohol abusers, 12.5% in opioid abusers). A total of 64.8% of the seizures were associated with substance use. These occurred during withdrawal in the alcohol cohort and during intoxication with dextropropoxyphene and withdrawal from heroin or poppy husk in the opioid cohort. Results indicate that seizures may be more common in older patients with longer duration of dependence among those abusing alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Drug De-addiction and Treatment Center, Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. skm_ddtc@glide.net.in
authors.forename: Surendra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mattoo
authors.forename: Shubh M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Debasish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Parmanand
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kulhara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*