Posttraumatic Epilepsy among Epileptic Children Seen in a Pediatric Neurology Clinic in Enugu, Nigeria-A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Background: There is a wide variation in epidemiology and clinical profile of children with seizures following a head injury. Head injury can result from a variety of trauma to the head and remains a worldwide public health problem.Purpose: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of posttraumatic epilepsy among epileptic children seen in a pediatric neurology clinic in Enugu, Nigeria.Method: Records of epileptic patients who presented from January 2009 to January 2013 were reviewed. Data of those with history of head injury prior to onset of the seizure were documented. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Frequency and contingency table were derived and Chi 2 test was used for associations.Result: Out of 1400 patients, who presented to the clinic, six hundred and eighty-two (48.7%) patients had epilepsy and fifty-nine of the epileptics (8.65%) had history of significant head injury before the onset of seizure. The peak incidence was in the preschool age (13-60 months). Falls from heights were the commonest mechanism of head injury. Mild, moderate and severe trauma was documented in 32, 19 and 8 patients respectively. Majority of patients with severe trauma fell from heights. There was however no statistically significant difference between the mechanism of head injury and degree of severity of trauma (p = 0.73). Complex partial seizure was the most common type. Seizure control was documented in 35 patients who were followed up for 18 months or more. Eighteen patients (51.43%) had good control. Conclusion:Head injury is a significant cause of epilepsy in this environment. Home injuries may have farreaching public health concern in our environment.