Episousse: Incidence Study of First Epileptic Seizures in Children in Sousse Area (Tunisia).
Abstract number :
2.117
Submission category :
Year :
2001
Submission ID :
114
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2001, 06:00 AM
Authors :
M.M. Dogui, MD, EEG Department, Hopital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia; K.K. Khlifa, MD, EEG Department, Hopital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia; M.M. Yacoub, MD, Pediatric Department, Hopital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia; A.A. Traboulsi, MD, EEG Department, Hopital Sahlo
RATIONALE: The aim of this study was to identify, in the population living in the area of Sousse (Tunisia), children 1 month - 15 y.o who had their first epileptic seizure or for the first time came to medical attention because an epileptic seizure.
METHODS: Between June 1st 1998 and May 31st 1999, we collected all suspected cases of provoked and unprovoked epileptic seizures, in children under 15 years of age, admitted to the hospitals or addressed to the private neurologists or paediatricians in the area of Sousse. The diagnosis probability was based on clinical data from the patient charts and the EEG data. The syndromic and etiologic classifications were obtained on the basis of past medical history, neurological examination and CT scan features. Neo-natal convulsions and febrile seizures were excluded.
RESULTS: One hundred and seventy five cases have been collected. The rate of initial diagnosis of provoked and non provoked seizures,in this population, standardised to the US population was 116.5 /100.000. More than half of the cases were collected in children aged under 4 y. (Incidence: 177/100.000).Only eighteen six cases were classified as provoked seizures (10.3%). One hundred and twenty eight cases were classified as unprovoked seizures (83.2%) with the following distribution : seizures in relation with a stable condition : 12 cases, seizures in relation with an evolutive condition : 2 cases and seizures of unknown etiology : 114 cases (Incidence : 74.1). Twenty one per cent of this latter group were idiopathic epilepsies. Twenty nine cases were unclassifiable.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first incidence study on epilepsy conducted in Tunisia. For childen under 9 y.o, global incidence rate of first epileptic seizures in Sousse (90.4) is higher than those observed in the departement of Gironde in France (81.9), in the canton of Geneva (67), Kenya (74.5) but lower than in Chile (124.4). Nevertheless, we think that this a minimal rate probably in relation with an underascertainement of situation-related seizures. The large proportion of epilepsies of unknown etiology was in relation with the lack of MRI investigations. The major risk factors, in this study, are represented by infectious diseases and neonatal complications.