Authors :
Presenting Author: Monica Puligheddu, MD, PhD – University of Cagliari
Federico Arippa, Msc – University of Cagliari; Roberta Coa, MD, PhD – AOU Cagliari; Michela Figorilli, MD, PhD – AOU Cagliari; Davide Fonti, MD – U.O. Neurology, P.O. Sirai, ASL Sulcis, Carbonia; Marta Melis, MD, PhD – AOU Cagliari; Antonella Muroni, MD, PhD – AOU Cagliari; Lorenzo Polizzi, MD – AOU Cagliari; Rosa Lecca, MD, PhD – S.C Neurorehabilitation Po SS Trinità ASL Cagliari, Cagliari
Rationale:
Drug resistant epilepsy (DRE) is a challenging problem for the epileptologist, concerning thirty percent of its patients. Early individuation of people at risk for DRE would help a better pharmacological and non-pharmacological management. Our study aims to identify risk factors for DRE in the population of patients of Epilepsy Centre at University of Cagliari (Italy)
Methods:
Data were extracted from the medical records of the patients treated at our Epilepsy Centre. In order to identify predictive risk factors for DRE we used a combination of univariate analysis and logistic regression in order to evaluate the combined effect of factors. We analyzed different conditions linked to DRE: gender, age of onset, etiology ( structural, genetic…) history of status epilepticus, type of seizures ( focal, generalized, combined), learning disabilities, comorbidities, illness duration, and family history of epilepsy.
Results:
Of 804 total subjects, 201 were DRE (26%). Univariate analysis showed a significant association between DRE and age of onset, structural etiology, presence of status epilepticus, type of seizure, presence of psychiatric and neurological comorbidities, learning disability, and family history of epilepsy. From subsequent multiple regression, a significant association with DRE was found for a few factors: age of onset, structural etiology, psychiatric and neurological comorbidities, and learning disability.
Conclusions:
The presence of a structural etiology, psychiatric and neurological comorbidities, learning disability, and early age of onset were significant risk factors for DRE. Early identification of these factors may help the management of these patients and improve clinical strategies.
Funding: iFAIR-project Sardegna Ricerche