Van Tıp Dergisi (Apr 2019)

Factors triggering seizures in patients presenting with epileptic seizures to the Emergency Department (ED) and the frequency of seizure recurrence during one-week period of follow-up

  • Ali Bilgin,
  • Sema Avcı,
  • Hayri Ramadan,
  • Figen Coşkun

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5505/vtd.2019.90692
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 2
pp. 206 – 211

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: In this study, it was aimed to investigate that factors triggering seizures and status of seizure recurrence after discharge from a one-week period in patients admitted to the emergency department with complaining of epileptic seizures. METHODS: The study was prospectively conducted between January 2013 and July 2013 in an emergency department of tertiary care training and research hospital.90 patients were included in the study. All patients' data were recorded to a standardized study form at the time of admission to the emergency department. Patients were questioned about the frequency of seizures and medication usage by telephone after one week of being discharged. Statistical analysis was conducted via SPSS for Windows 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA) program. Statistically, p<0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: When patients were evaluated in terms of factors that increase the frequency of seizures there was no significant difference in age, gender, alcohol intake in the last 24 hours before seizure, antiepileptic drug group that was used or skipping doses of the antiepileptic drug. There was a statistically significant reduction in seizure freguency in patients taking antiepileptic drugs regularly (p <0.05). Whereas there were statistically significant increase in seizure frequency in patients who had a sleepless night last 24 hours before the seizure (p=0.026), were experiencing a stressful situation (p=0.48) and patients who were single (p=0.001). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Among the factors that affect the seizure frequency in patients admitted to the emergency department with complaining of epileptic seizure regular antiepileptic drug use, marital status, and deprivation of sleep or the presence of a stressful situation in last 24 hours were statistically significant.

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