Prevalence of post-stroke seizures in Srinagarind Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
Post-stroke seizures in Thailand have not been studied. Thus, the authors' main objective was to assess the prevalence of post-stroke seizures and the secondary objective was to determine the factors associated with post-stroke seizures and mortality after stroke.


METHODS
This was a retrospective, descriptive study. The population included stroke patients admitted to Srinagarind Hospital between 2000 and 2004. The patients were 15 years of age and older. The authors reviewed medical records, mailed out a questionnaire, and conducted telephone interviews.


RESULTS
The present study included 372 patients with stroke; of whom 15.6% had the seizures after the stroke. The length of follow-up was at least 5 years. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures were the most common type of post-stroke seizures. The time from the onset of stroke to the seizures was mostly (60.3%) less than 2 weeks (i.e., early post-stroke seizures). The associated factors of post-stroke seizures were non-dyslipidemia (p = 0.0007), intracerebral hemorrhage (p = 0.015), and lesions at cortical area (p = 0.05). The overall mortality rate at the time of the present study was 39.5%, 7.5% at 30 days and 22.8% at 1 year.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of post-stroke seizures was higher than in previous studies but the associated factors of post-stroke seizures were similar.
Panitchote
Anupol
A
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Tiamkao
Somsak
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult