Epileptic seizures in multiple sclerosis a popula

Authors: Masoud Etemadifar SeyedHossein Abtahi Peyman Roomizadeh

Publish Date: 2012/10/31

Volume: 113, Issue: 3, Pages: 271-278

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Abstract

No large populationbased survey has until now been carried out on the linkage of epilepsy EP and multiple sclerosis MS either in the middleeast or in Asia In this retrospective populationbased study April 2003 to July 2010 on the total Isfahan cohort of 3522 Iranian MS patients we looked for EP/MS patients and compared their features with 1665 nonEP/MS cases We identified 105 cases though 24 were excluded for an implausible EP/MS link Among 81 23  eligible cases EP occurred 1 within a mean duration of 56 ± 54 years after the development of MS in 64 cases 79  2 at MS onset as the presenting symptom in five cases 62  and 3 by a mean duration of 43 ± 43 years prior to onset of MS in 12 patients 148  The overall mean ages at MS onset and at the first seizure episode were 285 ± 112 years and 325 ± 140 years respectively Regarding the age at onset of MS 123  of EP/MS patients were classified as earlyonset 815  as adultonset and 62  as lateonset Such frequencies were statistically different P  00001 from those of the 1665 control nonEP/MS patients 59 930 and 11  respectively Regarding the pattern of MS EP/MS patients were classified as relapsingremitting secondary progressive and primary progressive in 605 259 and 136  respectively This configuration differed P  00001 from that of nonEP patients 879 63 and 57  respectively Our results are suggestive of differences between EP/MS and nonEP/MS cases as regards the proportion of MS patterns and ageatonset classificationsThe authors are very grateful to the patients and their relatives for their collaboration with this research This survey was conducted with the cooperation of the Iran national Ministry of Health and Medical education Isfahan University of Medical Sciences IUMS and Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis Society IMSS Also a specific research grant has been received from CinnaGen Inc for implementation of the project and its data collection The results of this study are dedicated to the memory of Dr Afsane Khandan Iranian internist who devoted her precious life to knowledge health development and medical research

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