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Epilepsy Behav . COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in people with epilepsy: A nation-wide multicenter study

tetano

Editor, Senior Moderator
Epilepsy Behav


. 2021 Oct 8;125:108379.
doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108379. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in people with epilepsy: A nation-wide multicenter study


Alvaro Sanchez-Larsen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Estefanía Conde-Blanco[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alejandro Viloria-Alebesque[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Cristina Sánchez-Vizcaíno Buendía[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tatiana Espinosa Oltra[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Amanda Alvarez-Noval[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Angel Aledo-Serrano[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Raquel Martin-Garcia[SUP] 7 [/SUP], María E Ramos-Araque[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Dulce Campos[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Gonzalo Valle-Peñacoba[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Alicia Sierra-Gómez[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Pablo De Ceballos-Cerrajería[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Marta Agundez-Sarasola[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Mariam Khawaja[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Kevin G Hampel[SUP] 13 [/SUP], Maria Serra-Martínez[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Clara Arbós-Barber[SUP] 14 [/SUP], Asier Gómez-Ibáñez[SUP] 15 [/SUP], Rafael Villino-Boquete[SUP] 16 [/SUP], Pablo Cabezudo-García[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Ignacio Rodríguez-Lavado[SUP] 17 [/SUP], Alessandro Principe[SUP] 18 [/SUP], David Sopelana-Garay[SUP] 19 [/SUP]



Affiliations

Abstract

Background: To assess the prevalence, severity, and mortality of COVID-19 in people with epilepsy (PWE) and evaluate seizure control in PWE during and after COVID-19.
Methods: Retrospective, observational, multicenter study conducted in 14 hospitals. Medical records of randomly selected PWE followed at neurology outpatient clinics were reviewed. Proportion of PWE with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 during 2020 was calculated. Risk factors associated with COVID-19 and its morbimortality were evaluated.
Results: 2751 PWE were included, mean age 48.8 years (18-99), 72.4% had focal epilepsy, and 35% were drug-refractory. COVID-19 prevalence in PWE was 5.53%, while in the Spanish population was 4.26%. Proportion of admissions to hospital, ICU, and deaths in PWE were 17.1%, 2%, and 4.61% of COVID-19 cases, while in Spanish population were 10.81%, 0.95%, and 2.57%, respectively. A severe form of COVID-19 occurred in 11.8%; dyslipidemia, institutionalization at long-term care facilities, intellectual disability, and older age were associated risk factors. Older age, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiac disease, and institutionalization were associated with mortality from COVID-19. Seizure control was stable in 90.1% of PWE during acute COVID-19, while 8.6% reported an increase in seizure frequency. During post-COVID-19 follow-up, 4.6% reported seizure control worsening.
Conclusions: COVID-19 was moderately prevalent in PWE. One out of 5 patients required medical attention and 4.6% died due to COVID-19. Older age, dyslipidemia, institutionalization, and intellectual disability were significant risk factors associated with severe COVID-19. Seizure control remained stable during COVID-19 and throughout long-term follow-up in most PWE who contracted the infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2; Epilepsy; Prevalence; Seizures.
 
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