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An analysis of breakthrough seizures and related factors in paediatric epilepsy patients
Hina Khalid1, Saeed Arif2, Asif Hashmat2
1Department of Pediatrics, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
Insights
Breakthrough seizures are common in children with epilepsy, affecting over half of those studied. Young age, low income, and poly-pharmacy increase the risk of these seizures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Epilepsy Research
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting millions of children worldwide.
- Breakthrough seizures, occurring despite treatment, pose a significant challenge in pediatric epilepsy management.
- Understanding the factors contributing to breakthrough seizures is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of breakthrough seizures in pediatric epilepsy patients.
- To identify socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with breakthrough seizures in children.
- To inform clinical practice and future research in pediatric epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 450 children aged 2-12 years diagnosed with epilepsy.
- Data was collected on seizure history, socio-demographics, epilepsy duration, and medication use (poly-pharmacy).
- Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23 to identify factors associated with breakthrough seizures.
Main Results:
- Over half of the subjects (50.4%) experienced breakthrough seizures.
- Factors significantly associated with higher odds of breakthrough seizures included younger age, low family income, and the need for poly-pharmacy (multiple anti-epileptic drugs).
- Boys constituted 57.6% of the study population, with a mean age of 6.35 years.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of breakthrough seizures in epileptic children is high, even with previously effective anticonvulsant medications.
- Younger children, those from low-income families, and patients on poly-pharmacy are at increased risk.
- Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions for preventing breakthrough seizures in vulnerable pediatric epilepsy populations.
Objective:
To determine the frequency of breakthrough seizures among paediatric patients suffering from epilepsy, and factors related to the precipitation of these seizures.
Methods:
The cross-sectional study was conducted from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2020, at the Combined Military Hospital Lahore and the Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and comprised children of either gender aged 2-12 years diagnosed with any type of epilepsy presenting at the children outpatient department. Diagnosis of epilepsy was established by either a consultant adult neurophysician or a consultant paediatrician. The presence of breakthrough seizures was assessed by obtaining detailed history from the patient and the primary caregiver. Socio-demographic profile, duration of epilepsy and poly-pharmacy were noted. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.
Results:
Of the 450 subjects, 259(57.6%) were boys and 191(42.4%) were girls. The overall mean age was 6.353±4.732 years. The presence of breakthrough seizures was noted in 227(50.4%) subjects. Children with young age, with low family income, and those in need of poly-pharmacy showed significantly higher odds for breakthrough seizures (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
The incidence of breakthrough seizures in epileptic children was high despite the anticonvulsant agents that were previously effective in controlling seizures.
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