Epidemiology of intractable epilepsy in Al-Kharga district; new valley; [Egypt]

ABSTRACT

Drug-resistant epilepsy, despite the advancement in epilepsy treatment, continues to be a major clinical problem with devastating consequences. Identification of the prevalence of intractable epilepsy, as well as causes of intractability. Total population of 62,583 persons were screened through door to door survey, including every door. All suspected cases of epilepsy were subjected to complete history taking, meticulous examination, conventional EEG, and Stanford-Binnet intelligence scale. Monitoring of serum level of AEDs was done for those with possible intractable seizures to ensure adequate dose compliance. Patients have an average seizure frequency of one or more per month during the last 6 months despite optimal and suitable use of AED were considered truly intractable Ohtsuka et al [2001]. They were subjected to video monitoring EEG, and brain MRI. In this study, 437 epileptic patients were identified with a life time prevalence rate of epilepsy 6.98/1000, out of whom, 11.4% [n = 50/134] of patients were intractable with a prevalence rate 0.8/1000. Possible aetiology of intractable epilepsy was determined among 46% of cases [Remote symptomatic], while 58% of cases had unknown causes [idiopathic and cryptogenic]. Symptomatic and cryptogenic causes had signicantly lower IQ than idiopathic group Perinatal complications should be better avoided and/or managed to avoid a large sector of intractable epilepsy