Clinical characteristics and risk factors for epilepsy during the acute phase of aseptic meningitis / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the clinical features and risk factors for epilepsy during the acute phase of aseptic meningitis. Methods 138 cases of aseptic meningitis with complete clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. Among them 21 had seizures, and 117 had not. All of them were inpatients in the same period after meningitis. Based on a standardized questionnaire, a database was established with Microsoft Access 2002 including 51 indexes and some subindexes. Univariate analysis and nonconditional multivariate stepwise logistic regression were carried out based on the summarization of the characters of clinical seizure. Results Fourteen cases (66.7%) manifested generalized seizures in those patients with epilepsy. Seventeen patients (80.1%) experienced epilepsy within 2 weeks after meningitis. The independent risk factors for seizures during the acute phase of aseptic meningitis were the increased contents of cerebrospinal fluid protein (OR=19.40), raised intracranial pressure (OR=8.848), and low-voltage activity in electroencephalogram (OR=5.039). Conclusions Generalized seizure is the major type of epilepsy induced by acute aseptic meningitis. Epilepsy occurred within 2 weeks in most patients with meningitis and seizures. High level of cerebrospinal fluid protein, raised intracranial pressure and low-voltage activity in electroencephalogram were the main predictive risk factors for epilepsy during the acute phase of aseptic meningitis.