Return to Pain/CNS Alert Section
Researchers from Research Center, Department of Veterans Affairs report recent findings in epilepsy risk factors
February 23rd, 2009
2009 FEB 23 -- A new study, 'New-onset epilepsy risk factors in older veterans,' is now available. Researchers in the United States conducted a study "To identify risk factors for new-onset geriatric epilepsy that may trigger clinicians to consider a differential diagnosis of epilepsy at symptom onset. Retrospective cohort study."
"National Veterans Affairs (VA) databases. Veterans aged 66 and older in fiscal year 2000 (FY00) who received VA care in FY99 and FY00. Individuals with new-onset epilepsy based on a validated algorithm constituted the epilepsy cohort (n=1,843), and individuals without epilepsy constituted the geriatric cohort (n=1,023,376). Age, sex, and race were derived from VA databases. Clinical conditions associated with new-onset geriatric epilepsy (e.g., cerebrovascular disease, dementia, brain tumor) and stroke risk-factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease) were identified using validated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, codes before epilepsy onset (epilepsy cohort) and in FY00 (geriatric cohort). Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that patients with cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio (OR)=3.50, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.13-3.91), cerebrovascular disease and dementia (OR=4.14, 95% CI=3.46-4.96), brain tumor (OR=2.14, 95% CI=1.46-3.13), head injury (OR=2.11, 95% CI=1.41-3.14), and other central nervous system (CNS) conditions (OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.32-1.88) were more likely to experience new-onset epilepsy. Statin prescription (OR=0.64, 95% CI=0.56-0.73), older age (>or=85 vs 66-74, OR=0.66, 95% CI=0.50-0.87), obesity (OR=0.74, 95% CI=0.62-0.87), and hypercholesterolemia (OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.76-0.98) were associated with a lower likelihood of epilepsy. These data suggest greater epilepsy risk for older individuals with CNS insult and an additive effect of cerebrovascular disease and dementia," wrote M.J. Pugh and colleagues, Research Center, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The researchers concluded: "The statin finding requires further exploration but points to a possible target for prevention of geriatric epilepsy."
Pugh and colleagues published the results of their research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (New-onset epilepsy risk factors in older veterans. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2009;57(2):237-42).
For additional information, contact M.J. Pugh, Veterans Evidence-Based Research Dissemination Implementation Research Center, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, San Antonio, Texas 78229 USA..
The publisher of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society can be contacted at: Blackwell Publishing Inc., 350 Main St., Malden, MA 02148, USA.
Keywords: United States, San Antonio, Epilepsy Risk Factors, Brain Cancer, Brain Carcinoma, Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease, Central Nervous System Disease, Central Nervous System Infection, Cerebrovascular Disease, Clinical Trial Research, Dementia, Diabetes Mellitus, Differential Diagnosis, Endocrinology, Epilepsy, Hypertension, Obesity, Obesity and Diabetes, Oncology.
This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.
Return to Pain/CNS Alert Section
|
|
Advertisement |
|
