Epilepsy prevalence in a rural area in Istanbul

Abstract

This study is a field study with cross-section and case control conducted in the Kucukcekmece Region of Istanbul between June 1999 and February 2000. Four hundred and ninety three dwellings selected by a simple random sampling method were visited. From a population of 2187, 58 people, after filling in a questionnaire were suspected to have epilepsy. Following an interview, neurological examination and an electroencephalogram (EEG) 17 were diagnosed as having epilepsy. Lifetime epilepsy prevalence was 0.8%. 41.2% of the 17 epilepsy cases had partial epilepsy ( n= 7), 47.0% had generalized (n = 8) and in 11.8% seizures could not be classified ( n= 2). The risk factors for epilepsy in the control group ( n= 125) from the same region and those with epilepsy were investigated by means of logistic regression analyses. Educational status (odds ratio : 1.82, 95% confidence interval : 1.13-2.94; P= 0.01), profession (OR : 0.76, 95% CI : 0.60-0.97; P= 0.03), history of epilepsy in the family (OR : 0.67, 95% CI : 0.47-0.94; P= 0.02) were determined to be correlated with epilepsy. The results have drawn attention to the fact that individuals should be informed about epilepsy.

Prevalence of epilepsy in the university students representing a young adult population with normal intelligence

“…[14] Another two cross-sectional and case control studies conducted in a rural area of Turkey determined the prevalence of active epilepsy to 5.9 per 1000 and 10.2 per 1000 in all age groups. [11][12][13] Also, other researchers found the prevalence of active epilepsy for all ages to be 8.5 per 1000 in the urban areas of Turkey. [12] Only a few combined studies conducted in Turkey included data on prevalence rate in the age range of our population.…”

“…The limited number of epilepsy prevalence studies in Turkey usually combines all age groups. [11][12][13][14][15][16] Studies investigating the prevalence of active or lifetime epilepsy for all age groups have been conducted in both rural and urban areas of Turkey. These studies reported various prevalence rates, from 4.5 per 1000 to 17.3 per 1000 in the total population of Turkey.…”

“…These studies reported various prevalence rates, from 4.5 per 1000 to 17.3 per 1000 in the total population of Turkey. [11][12][13][14][15][16] The study conducted in the northeast region of Turkey reported the prevalence rate of epilepsy to be 5.3/1000 in all age groups. [15] The crude prevalence rate of epilepsy in comparative epidemiological study in Turkey and Pakistan was 7.0 per 1000 in all age groups.…”

Quality of Life and Cost analysis Following Epilepsy Surgery in Turkish Patients

“…[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] According to this, considering that approximately 700,000 epilepsy patients exist in Turkey, about 10% of this epilepsy population is surgery candidates. The benefits of epilepsy surgery in terms of seizure outcome and improvements in life quality are beyond controversy in well selected patient groups, especially in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis.…”

Effects of Drug Compliance on Quality of Life in Patients with Epilepsy

“…[3] Ülkemizde farklı bölgelerde yapılan araştırmalarda aktif epilepsi prevalansı binde 5-10.2, yaşam boyu prevalans ise binde 6 ile 12.2 arasında bulunmuştur. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Epilepsi tedavisinde amaç; nöbetleri ortadan kaldırmak ya da sıklığı mümkün olduğunca azaltmak, uzun dönemli tedavi ile ilişkili yan etkilerden kaçınmak ve hastanın normal psikososyal ve iş uyumunu koruması ya da yeniden sağla-masına yardım etmektir. [12] Epilepsi tedavisinde antiepileptik ilaçlar nöbetlerin sayısı, sıklığı ve şiddetinde azalma sağ-lamaktadır.…”