RESUMEN
To study the characteristics of the epileptics and the risk factors contributing to the development of epilepsy. Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Epilepsy Clinic at Ahbab Hospital, Lahore, from June 2002 to August 2002. Subjects and Data was collected from 158 subjects, 89 males and 69 females, suffering from epilepsy. The information about socio-demographic characteristics and family history of illness, perinatal morbidity, birth place and mother's age at the time of delivery was obtained using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data was analyzed on SPSS version 10. Majority of the subjects were single [77.84%], 1st born among their siblings [25.95%], belonged to low social class [50.63%], and unemployed [25.31%]. The major risk factors were family history of illness [23.52%] and positive medical problem around birth [12.66%]. The presence of family history of illness, positive medical problem around birth and advanced maternal age at birth were associated with early onset of epilepsy. Vulnerability for the epilepsy also increases among hospital deliveries. Although the present study has identified various risk factors, yet the results need to be further confirmed through case-control studies