The prevalence of epilepsy and association with traumatic brain injury in veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of epilepsy with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Afghanistan and Iraq (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]/Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]) Veterans.


METHODS
Cross-sectional observational study.


METHODS
A total 256 284 OEF/OIF Veterans who received inpatient and outpatient care in the Veterans Health Administration in fiscal years 2009-2010.


METHODS
We used algorithms developed for use with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, codes to identify epilepsy, TBI (penetrating TBI [pTBI]/other TBI), and other risk factors for epilepsy (eg, stroke). TBI and other risk factors were identified prior to the index date (first date of seizure or October 1, 2009) for primary analyses.


RESULTS
Epilepsy prevalence was 10.6 per 1000 (N = 2719) in fiscal year 2010; age-adjusted prevalence was 6.1. Of 37 718 individuals with a diagnosis of TBI, 29 297 Veterans had a diagnosis of TBI prior to the index date. Statistically significant associations were found between epilepsy and prior TBI diagnosis (pTBI: adjusted odds ratio = 18.77 [95% confidence interval, 9.21-38.23]; other TBI: adjusted odds ratio = 1.64 [1.43-1.89]).


CONCLUSIONS
Among OEF/OIF Veterans, epilepsy was associated with previous TBI diagnosis, with pTBI having the strongest association. Because war-related epilepsy in Vietnam War Veterans with TBI continued 35 years postwar, a detailed, prospective study is needed to understand the relationship between epilepsy and TBI severity in OEF/OIF Veterans.
South Texas Veterans Health Care System (VERDICT), San Antonio (Drs Pugh and McMillan); Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (Drs Pugh, Orman, and McMillan); Department of Medicine, Texas A&M University School of Medicine (Dr Pugh); Statistics and Epidemiology US Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam, Houston, Texas and University of Texas School of Public Health, San Antonio Regional Campus, San Antonio (Dr Orman); Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), U.T. Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio (Drs Jaramillo and Eapen); Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, Oregon (Dr Salinsky); Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland (Dr Salinsky); Epidemiology and Community Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (Dr Towne); Epilepsy Center of Excellence, McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital, Richmond, Virginia (Dr Towne); Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Hospital (The Center for Health Quality, Outcomes and Economic Research [CHQOER]), Bedford, Massachusetts (Dr Amuan); Nantz National Alzheimer Center, Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, Texas (Dr Roman); Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Hospital, Richmond, Virginia (Dr McNamee); Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas (Dr Kent); Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas (Dr Kent); West Haven VA Medical Center, West Haven, Connecticut (Dr Hamid); and Brain Injury Research, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (Dr Grafman).
Mary Jo V
MJ
Pugh
Jean A
JA
Orman
Carlos A
CA
Jaramillo
Martin C
MC
Salinsky
Blessen C
BC
Eapen
Alan R
AR
Towne
Megan E
ME
Amuan
Gustavo
G
Roman
Shane D
SD
McNamee
Thomas A
TA
Kent
Katharine K
KK
McMillan
Hamada
H
Hamid
Jordan H
JH
Grafman
D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014728:Veterans; D055815:Young Adult