title: A systematic review of epileptic seizures in adults with subdural haematomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Posttraumatic epileptic seizures (PTS) are a serious complication in patients with subdural haematoma (SDH). However, to date, several studies have shown discordances about SDH-associated seizures in terms of incidence, risk factors and prophylactic antiepileptic treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence, risk factors of PTS and the role of prophylactic antiepileptic treatment in patients with SDH.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic literature review examining PTS in patients with SDH was performed using PubMed gateway, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Excerpta Medica dataBASE between September 1961 and February 2016. Search terms included subdural haematoma, seizure, epilepsy, prophylactic antiepileptic drugs, anticonvulsive medication, and risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human-based clinical studies focusing on epileptic seizures in patients with SDH.
  
  
  METHODS
  PRISMA statements were used for assessing data quality. Two independent reviewers extracted data from included studies and disagreement was solved by consensus. Twenty-four studies were identified for inclusion into the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall incidence of early PTS (ePTS) and late PTS (lPTS)/2 years was 28% and 43% in acute SDH (aSDH) whereas the incidence of e- and lPTS was lower in chronic SDH (cSDH; 5.3% vs. 10%). Overall risk factors for PTS in patients with aSDH were: 24h postoperative Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) score below 9 (OR 10.5), craniotomy (OR 3.9), preoperative GCS below 8 (OR 3.1). In patients with cSDH the risk factors were alcohol abuse (OR 14.3), change of mental status (OR 7.2), previous stroke (OR 5.3) and density of haematoma in computer tomography (OR 3.8). Age, sex, haematoma size/side and midline shifts were not significant risk factors for PTS in both types of SDH. In prevention of PTS phenytoin and levetiracetam showed similar efficacy (OR 1.3), whereas levetiracetam was associated with significantly lower adverse effects (OR 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the studies were of retrospective nature with a small sample size. Due to the inclusion criteria, some studies had to be excluded and that might lead to selection bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTS are a serious complication in patients with SDH, particularly in aSDH. The "prophylactic use" of antiepileptic drugs might be beneficial in patients with cumulative risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: Sae-Yeon.Won@kgu.de.
authors.forename: Sae-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Konczalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dubinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cattani
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Epilepsy Center, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosenow
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Epilepsy Center, Frankfurt Rhine-Main Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strzelczyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Freiman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D039781:PubMed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants
keywords: Epileptic seizure; Incidence of seizure; Prophylactic antiepileptic treatment; Risk factors; Subdural haematoma