Global prevalence of post-traumatic epilepsy in traumatic brain injury patients: a systematic review and...

Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a major concern after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the global prevalence of PTE in TBI patients.

The study systematically searched relevant studies published from inception to September 20, 2024, using PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. The effects of publication bias were assessed using funnel plots and Egger tests.

The review included 24 studies (n = 505,720) from 10 countries. We found that the pooled prevalence of PTE in TBI patients was 9 % (95 %CI, 8-11 %). Subgroup analyses were conducted, and the results showed that the prevalence of PTE was higher in studies that used the diagnostic criteria of the International League Against Epilepsy was 15 % (95 %CI, 11-20 %). Studies focused on severe PTE had a prevalence of 16 % (95 %CI, 8-25 %), while those focused on early post-traumatic seizures had a prevalence of 14 % (95 %CI, 8-20 %). The prevalence of PTE was also higher in studies that included men, with a prevalence of 10 % (95 %CI, 7-14 %). The prevalence of PTE was found to be highest in studies conducted in Europe (12 %, 95 %CI, 7-17 %) and North America (12 %, 95 %CI, 8-15 %). The leave-one-out analysis revealed that no individual study substantially affected the final prevalence estimates.

This meta-analysis indicated that PTE is a common complication following TBI. Therefore, medical professionals should enhance their focus on the early screening of PTE in high-risk groups and provide information on its prevention in the future.