title: A population-based study of active and drug-resistant epilepsies in Northern Italy.
abstract: Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) is defined by the International League Against Epilepsy as a failure of adequate trials of two tolerated, appropriately chosen, and used antiepileptic drugs to achieve sustained seizure freedom. Our aim was to calculate the following: (1) the prevalence of active epilepsy and DRE in a well-defined population of Northern Italy and (2) the proportion of incident cases developing DRE. The study population (146,506; year 2008) resided in the province of Lecco, Northern Italy. The medical records of 123 general practitioners were reviewed to identify patients with epilepsy, diagnosed by a neurologist during the period 2000-2008. The point prevalence of active epilepsy and DRE was calculated on December 31, 2008. A total of 747 prevalent patients with epilepsy, 684 patients with active epilepsy, and 342 incident cases were identified. The frequency of DRE was 15.6% (107/684) of all active epilepsies and 10.5% (36/342) of incident cases. The point prevalence was 0.73 per 1000. The standardized prevalence of DRE was 0.7 per 1000 (Italian population) and 0.8 per 1000 (world population). Our data indicate that 1/6 patients with active epilepsy in the general population has DRE, and 1/10 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy will develop DRE within nine years from the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giussani
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Canelli
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, SEC, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erba
authors.affiliation: IRCCS-Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Milan, Italy. Electronic address: ettore.beghi@marionegri.it.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beghi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D000069279:Drug Resistant Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011153:Population; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Drug resistance; Epilepsy; Medical practitioners; Prevalence