Population-level evidence for an autoimmune etiology of epilepsy.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Epilepsy is a debilitating condition, often with neither a known etiology nor an effective treatment. Autoimmune mechanisms have been increasingly identified.

Objective

To conduct a population-level study investigating the relationship between epilepsy and several common autoimmune diseases.

Design, setting, and participants

A retrospective population-based study using claims from a nationwide employer-provided health insurance plan in the United States. Participants were beneficiaries enrolled between 1999 and 2006 (N = 2 518 034).

Main outcomes and measures

We examined the relationship between epilepsy and 12 autoimmune diseases: type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Graves disease, Hashimoto thyroiditis, Crohn disease, ulcerat

SUBMITTER: Ong MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4324719 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature