Long-term seizure recurrence after eclampsia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Obstetrics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Seizure recurrence post-eclampsia impacts patient prognosis, treatment, and lifestyle restrictions.
• Quantifying long-term seizure recurrence risk after eclampsia is crucial for clinical guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the long-term recurrence of seizures following eclampsia.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to December 2019.
• Studies focusing on long-term seizure recurrence after an eclampsia diagnosis were included.
• Pooled prevalence was calculated using data extracted from included studies, weighted by sample size.

Main Results:

• The analysis included 4 studies involving 1896 women.
• Only 7 women (0.37%) experienced a subsequent seizure.
• The weighted pooled prevalence of long-term seizure recurrence was 0.18% (95% CI, 0.03-1.02).

Conclusions:

• The absolute rate of long-term seizure recurrence after eclampsia is exceptionally low.
• This low recurrence rate supports the safety of driving for individuals with a history of eclampsia.