The prevalence and characteristics of epilepsy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with disease-modifying therapy
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Ceska a slovenska neurologie a neurochirurgie |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.csnn.eu/casopisy/ceska-slovenska-neurologie/2020-4-7/prevalence-a-charakteristika-epilepsie-u-pacientu-s-relabujici-remitujici-formou-roztrousene-sklerozy-lecenych-imunomodulacni-terapii-123472/download?hl=cs |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.14735/amcsnn2020424 |
| Keywords | multiple sclerosis; epilepsy; seizures; prevalence |
| Description | Aim: The aim was to identify and describe patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) treated with a disease-modifying therapy who had a history of unprovoked seizure or epilepsy and to investigate the impact of epilepsy on the course and prognosis of MS. Materials and methods: Patients with RRMS treated with a disease-modifying therapy at a large MS centre of the university hospital by January 1, 2019 were included in this study. The annual relapse rate and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) before and after the fi rst seizure were evaluated. Results: 17 patients (2.27%) with a history of unprovoked seizure or epilepsy were identifi ed within the cohort of RRMS patients (N = 750). Active epilepsy, defi ned as the use of antiepileptic drugs or incidence of seizures within the last 5 years, was disclosed in 13 (73%) of them. Three patients had developed epilepsy before the fi rst signs of MS. The mean annual relapse rates in patients with epilepsy before and after the fi rst seizure were 0.12 and 0.5 (P = 0.1), resp. No signifi cant diff erence was found in terms of EDSS worsening at 2 years before and after the fi rst seizure (0.55 vs. 0.7; P = 0.38). The attack semiology and/or electroencephalogram recordings indicated a focal onset of seizures in 8 out of 17 patients (47%). Conclusion: The frequency of unprovoked seizure or epilepsy among RRMS patients in our cohort was 2.27%. |
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