Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
7th ANNUAL MEDICAL STUDENTS' RESEARCH DAY, İstanbul, Türkiye, 14 Mart 2023, cilt.11, ss.8, (Özet Bildiri)
Epileptic Seizure in Elderly People: Etiological Factors
Ayşe İdil BİLGİN1
, Zeliha MATUR2
1
Bezmialem Vakıf University, Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey
2
Bezmialem Vakıf University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, İstanbul, Turkey
Introduction: The etiologies of epileptic seizures in the elderly are expected to differ from those in the young.
In this study, the relationship between etiological factors with age and the presence of seizures associated
with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) was investigated in adult patients who presented to the emergency
department with epileptic seizures.
Method: The study included 1,026 patients who were admitted to emergency and consulted the neurology
department in Bezmialem Vakıf University Hospital between 01.01.2021-31.12.2021. According to consultation
reports, 115 patients (mean age: 51.12±21.97; 52% male) were presented with epileptic seizures. Demographic
data, seizure characteristics, and etiological factors of the patients were documented in detail. Patients were
grouped as 18-60 years old (group <60; 75 of them) and 60 years and older (group ≥60; 40 of them).
Results: The number of patients without a previous diagnosis of epilepsy and without seizure history were
significantly higher in group ≥60 (p values <0.001, =0.049, respectively). Seizure types observed: 22% focaland
78% generalized. Possible seizure triggering factors were examine; it was found that unknown causes (25%),
infection (20%), malignancy (14%), drug disruption (11%), COVID-19 (11%), stress (7%), metabolic causes (5%),
after Biotech vaccination (6%), and trauma (2%) were seen as a potential predictor. There was no significant
difference between the groups in terms of seizure types and triggers. The presence of stroke, neurodegenerative
disease, and diabetes, which are etiological factors, were significantly higher in group ≥60 (p values, <0.001,
<0.001, and <0.001, respectively). 30% of the patients who came with the suspicion of COVID had their first
seizure. There was no difference between the groups in terms of COVID-19 (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Elderly people presenting to the emergency department with seizures are more likely to have a
first seizure and not be diagnosed with epilepsy. Therefore, etiological investigations should be done carefully.
Key words: Epileptic seizure, emergency, seizure types