A Cross Sectional Study to Evaluate Clinical and Imaging Profile in Patients Presenting with Seizures

Abstract

BACKGROUND: “Epilepsy” is the condition of recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Epilepsy has numerous causes. The worldwide prevalence of active seizure is 4-10 per 1000 population. The prevalence rate in India is 5.59 per 1000. We conducted this study to evaluate clinical and imaging profile in patients presenting with seizures.

METHODOLOGY: This was a single centre hospital-based observational cross-sectional conducted in patients with seizures admitted to the department of Medicine. All patients more than 15 years of age with seizures presenting to the department and giving written informed consent were included in the study. During our study period, we got 70 cases satisfying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, so we included all 70 cases in our study. Patients with history of head injury, movement disorders, hyperventilation syndrome, syncope and psychogenic seizures were excluded.

OBSERVATIONS: There were 47 males (67.14%), mean age of participants was 52.71 ±14.16 years. 42 patients had no any addictions (60%). Sixty eight cases had GTCS type of seizure (97.14%) and one patient each (1.43%) and Partial and CPS type of seizure. 35 patients had single seizure (50%). Most common feature was past h/o seizure seen in 26 cases (37.14%) followed by headaches in 21 cases (30%). Most common Computed tomography (CT) finding was acute infarct in 7 cases (10%). 48 patients, 68.57% had normal CT findings. MRI findings shows 6 (8.57%) patients with Gliosis, followed by small vessel ischemic changes in 8 (11.43%) patients. While 49 (70%) patients had no abnormality on MRI. Majority of patients had drug Withdrawal Seizure (52.86%), followed by Cerebral-Infarct (14.29%).

CONCLUSION: More than half of the patients had single episode of seizure and rest patients had two seizure episodes, very few had three or more seizures. The most common Computed tomography finding was acute infarct (10%) followed by Gliosis (7.14%). Magnetic resonance imaging findings showed most commonly Gliosis, followed by small vessel ischemic changes. About two third of patients had normal Magnetic resonance imaging brain. Commonest etiology was drug Withdrawal Seizure.