Abstracts

Injuries associated to epileptic seizures are increasingly recognized in Honduras, where epilepsy is highly prevalent. Our goal was to determine the profile and outcome of epilepsy patients who suffer burns associated to seizures. A prospective study was performed at the Surgery Services in a rural hospital of West Honduras (Copan City) and the University Hospital at Tegucigalpa City from January 2002 to March of 2005. Demographic data, treatment status and characteristics of burns were evaluated. During the study period, 24 patients with epilepsy were admitted because of burns (71% women and 29% men). The average age was 33 years old (range 11-64). Most burns occurred with hot liquids; 71% of them were grade II and 29% were grade III. All patients reported tonic-clonic seizures during the accident; most were partial secondarily generalized seizures. Sixty-two percent of patients were not under antiepileptic treatment because of discipline and financial issues and 38% were taking treatment but had uncontrolled seizures. There were no fatal cases during the admission time. All patients had aesthetic consequences. This study shows the impact of uncontrolled epileptic seizures in Honduras. Patients suffer these kind of accidents because of non-compliance and problems accessing antiepileptic treatments. There is need for strategies to prevent these and other kinds of accidents in patients with epilepsy in Honduras.