Dataset Information

Clinical characteristics of epilepsy in resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To describe clinical characteristics of a community-based epilepsy cohort from resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.

Methods

The cohort was gathered following a two-stage screening survey. We cross-sectionally examined and followed up the cohort for one year. A panel of neurologists assigned seizure types, syndromes, and putative etiologies and categorized drug responsiveness.

Results

The cohort of 240 included 161 (67.1%) men, 109 (45.4%) illiterates and 149 (62.1%) unemployed. Current age was >18 years in 155 (64.6%) but age at epilepsy onset was <18 years in 173 (72.1%). Epilepsies due to structural and metabolic causes were diagnosed in 99 (41.3%), but syndromic assignments were not possible in 97 (40.4%). After one year, drug-resistant epilepsy was established in 74 (30.8%). Perinatal events (n = 35; 14.6%) followed by CNS infections (n = 32; 13.3%) and traumatic brain injury (n = 12; 5.0%) were common risk factors. Most of those with CNS infections (n = 19; 63.3%), perinatal antecedents (n = 23; 76.7%), and other acquired risk factors (n = 27; 90.0%) presented with epilepsy due to structural and metabolic causes. Perinatal events were the putative etiology for nearly 40.7% of generalized epilepsies due to structural and metabolic causes and 28.2% of all epilepsies with onset <10 years.

Significance

Existing classifications schemes should be better suited to field conditions in resource-limited communities in low- and middle-income countries. The finding of drug-resistant epilepsy in nearly at least a third in a community-based sample underscores an unmet need for enhancing services for this segment within healthcare systems. Perinatal events, CNS infections, and head injury account for a third of all epilepsies and hence preventative interventions focusing on these epilepsy risk factors should be stepped up.

SUBMITTER: Singh G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7733663 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Clinical characteristics of epilepsy in resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.

Singh Gagandeep G Singhal Sachi S Sharma Suman S Paul Birinder S BS Bansal Namita N Chaudhary Anurag A Sharma Sarit S Bansal Rajnder K RK Goraya Jatinder S JS Setia Raj K RK Sander Josemir W JW

Epilepsia open 20201101 4

<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe clinical characteristics of a community-based epilepsy cohort from resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.<h4>Methods</h4>The cohort was gathered following a two-stage screening survey. We cross-sectionally examined and followed up the cohort for one year. A panel of neurologists assigned seizure types, syndromes, and putative etiologies and categorized drug responsiveness.<h4>Results</h4>The cohort of 240 included 161 (67.1%) men, 109 (45.4%) illi ...[more]

PMID: 33336129

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Dataset Information

Clinical characteristics of epilepsy in resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Significance

Publications

Clinical characteristics of epilepsy in resource-limited communities in Punjab, Northwest India.

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