title: Update on causes of premature death in people with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China.
abstract: This longitudinal prospective study updated a previous report on premature mortality and focused on the risk factors among patients with convulsive epilepsy in resource-poor settings. The present cohort size (7,231) and follow-up (mean 33.4 months) were expanded. The basic epidemiologic aspects of this cohort were similar to the original report (case fatality: 3.26% vs. 2.97%, respectively; injury contributed more than half of the deaths). Cox regression analysis suggested that male patients, late ages of onset (>45 years old), short duration of epilepsy (<10 years), and high convulsive seizure frequency (>2 per month) were independent risk factors for overall premature death. Male patients with late ages of onset and high seizure frequency had a higher risk of injury-specific death. This study emphasizes the preventable nature of injuries that are leading putative causes of death among people with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China. Education on specific populations and efficient seizure control are of paramount importance in reducing the risk of premature mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Deng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Linyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061213:Mortality, Premature / Q000639:trends*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Epilepsy; Preventable cause of death; Risk factor