Comparison of New-Onset and Persistent Epilepsy in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND

Previous studies on elderly epilepsy included only patients with new-onset disease, but there are many patients who developed epilepsy earlier and aged.

OBJECTIVE

We compared the characteristics of new-onset and persistence epilepsy in the elderly.

METHODS

We performed a 10-year retrospective analysis of elderly patients with epilepsy divided into two groups according to the onset of seizure: new-onset epilepsy (onset age≥65) and persistent epilepsy (onset age<65).

RESULTS

Nearly half (78/172, 45.3%) of patients in the new-onset group presented as status epilepticus, and one-fourth of these (19/78, 24.4%) died during the initial treatment for status epilepticus. Patients in the new-onset epilepsy group presented more frequently as status epilepticus (59/153 vs. 12/78, p<0.001) and had a past history of status epilepticus (63/153 vs. 20/78, p=0.02). History of stroke (81/153 vs. 30/78, p=0.04), hypertension (83/153 vs. 29/78, p=0.01), and dyslipidemia (53/153 vs. 17/78, p=0.05) were more common in the new-onset group, but patients in the persistent group used more antiepileptic drugs (AEDs; p=0.036) and total AED drug loads (p=0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that new-onset epilepsy has a higher incidence of status epilepticus and more stroke-related risk factors but may require fewer AEDs for epilepsy control. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.