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Allergic disease is associated with epilepsy in childhood: a US population-based study
J I Silverberg1, R Joks, H G Durkin
1Departments of Dermatology, Preventive Medicine and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Dermatology, Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY, USA.
Allergy
|November 21, 2013
Summary
Childhood epilepsy is linked to allergic diseases like asthma and eczema. Having one or more allergies increases the likelihood of epilepsy in children, with more allergies leading to higher risks.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Allergy and Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Prior animal studies indicated a connection between allergic conditions and epilepsy.
- This study investigated the association between allergic disease and epilepsy in a pediatric population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if allergic diseases are associated with epilepsy in children.
- To analyze the prevalence of epilepsy in relation to various allergic conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children's Health (91,642 children aged 0-17).
- Employed multivariate logistic regression to assess the association between epilepsy and allergic diseases (asthma, atopic dermatitis, hay fever, food allergies), controlling for confounders.
Main Results:
- Children with at least one allergic disease had significantly higher odds of epilepsy (aOR=1.79).
- Specific allergies including asthma, atopic dermatitis, hay fever, and food allergies were all associated with increased epilepsy risk.
- The risk of epilepsy increased with the number of allergic diseases present.
Conclusions:
- A significant association exists between allergic diseases and epilepsy prevalence in US children.
- Further research is warranted to explore the role of allergic inflammation in epileptogenesis.
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