title: Posttraumatic epilepsy in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
abstract: Penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a well-established risk factor for post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). However, many veterans in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) who suffer from TBI do so from blast injury, and its consequences are not fully known. Two neurologists performed a chart review to describe patterns of injury and health care among all 16 OEF/OIF veterans at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System who were assigned an outpatient diagnosis of both epilepsy and TBI in 2008-2009. All Veterans were male, and the mean age was 30 years. Blast exposure was the most common mechanism of TBI (81%). Although all Veterans were assigned a diagnosis code of seizures, the diagnosis of PTE was clinically confirmed in only 3 veterans. On the other hand, the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was confirmed in 81% of the sample and a diagnosis of nonepileptic seizures was suspected in 44% of the sample. Researchers who study PTE among the OEF/OIF population using administrative data also should perform chart reviews to account for the prevalence of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kaiser Permanente Foundation Hospital,2025 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA 95825.
authors.forename: Leo L K
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Diego, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103.
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Baca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Diego, 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard ML 127, Los Angeles, CA 90073.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard ML 127, Los Angeles, CA 90073.
authors.forename: Miriam E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ayad
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, 11301 Wilshire Boulevard ML 127, Los Angeles, CA 90073.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*