title: Seizures and epilepsy in patients with a posterior circulation infarct.
abstract: Seizures occur mainly in patients with cortical infarcts in the anterior circulation. Those related to a posterior circulation infarct (POCI) are considered rare. This study investigated the characteristics of patients with seizures related to a POCI. A total of 180 consecutive patients admitted with a POCI had a 2- to 7-year follow-up; 24 of them (13.6%) developed seizures. Vascular risk factors, etiology and extension of the infarct, degree of neurologic impairment, and outcome were compared in the patients with and without seizures. Complex partial type seizure was the most common presentation. Stroke characteristics were largely the same in the patients with and without seizures. History of a previous stroke was noted in 62.5% of the seizure group and in 17.9% of the nonseizure group (P < .001). Clinical outcome was worse in the seizure group (P = .004). The relative incidence of seizures in patients with a POCI was not lower than that in the overall stroke population. The high incidence of recurrent stroke is the main risk factor for seizures in patients with a POCI. The seizures themselves are responsible for the increased dependence rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. dereuck.j@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jacques L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: De Reuck
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Maele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity / Q000639:trends; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology