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Consanguinity in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis in a Saudi population
Khalid S Alqadi1, Saba A Rammal, Mosaab E Alam
1Department of Neurosciences, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Consanguinity may increase the risk of developing hippocampal sclerosis (HS), a cause of epilepsy. This study found a higher prevalence of consanguinity in Saudi patients with HS compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is a common cause of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.
- Consanguinity, the mating of related individuals, is prevalent in certain populations and can increase the risk of autosomal recessive disorders.
- The association between consanguinity and HS has not been extensively studied, particularly in the Saudi population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential association between consanguinity and the occurrence of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in the Saudi population.
- To compare the prevalence of consanguinity in patients with pathologically confirmed HS against a control group with cryptogenic epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective case-control study was conducted.
- Data were collected from 120 patients (40 with HS, 80 controls) who underwent epilepsy surgery between 2004 and 2015.
- Prevalence of consanguinity, family history of epilepsy, and history of febrile seizures were assessed.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of consanguinity was higher in the HS group (53.5%) compared to the control group (37.5%).
- The odds ratio for consanguinity in HS was 2.04 (95% CI = 0.94 - 4.4, p=0.052), suggesting a potential increased risk.
- No significant difference was observed in family history of epilepsy or history of febrile seizures between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Consanguinity may be a risk factor for developing hippocampal sclerosis.
- Further research is warranted to confirm this association and explore underlying genetic mechanisms.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering genetic factors in epilepsy etiology.
Objective:
To investigate if there is an association between consanguinity and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in the Saudi population.
Methods:
A retrospective case-control study was conducted by assessing the prevalence of consanguinity in patients with pathologically proven HS, who underwent epilepsy surgery at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2004 and December 2015. We reviewed the medical records to extract data, which included; age, gender, duration of epilepsy, history of febrile seizure, family history of epilepsy in a first or second-degree relative, and pathology reports.
Results:
A total of 120 patients, out of which 40 patients (65% male) having mesial temporal lobe epilepsy due to HS, and 80 controls (56% male) with cryptogenic epilepsy, were identified. Twenty-two patients (53.5%) in the HS group had a history of consanguinity. In the control group, 30 patients (37.5%) had a history of consanguinity. The odds ratio was 2.04 (95% confidence interval = 0.94 - 4.4, p=0.052). A family history of epilepsy was found in 28% of the patients with HS and 32.5% cryptogenic epilepsy. Only 8 patients (19.5%) with HS reported a history of febrile seizure.
Conclusion:
Our retrospective case-control study suggests that consanguinity might increase the likelihood of developing HS.
