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- Title
Prospective, case-control study on the effect of pregnancy on seizure frequency in women with epilepsy.
- Authors
Neve, Angela; Boero, Giovanni; Francavilla, Teresa; Plantamura, Marzia; Agazio, Giusy; Specchio, Luigi
- Abstract
To evaluate if pregnancy induces a change in seizure frequency and in percentage of subjects remaining seizure-free. This is a prospective case-control study conducted in our tertiary epilepsy centre. Controls were matched 2:1 with the cases for relevant clinical parameters. Cases had to be referred to our centre for at least 9 months before-pregnancy, during pregnancy and the-9-months-after-birth. Controls were followed for the correspondent periods of time: named respectively control period 1-2-3. Seizure frequency was defined as 'improved' if there was a 50 % of reduction, 'worsened' if there was a 50 % of increase, and 'unchanged' in the rest of cases. We recruited 36 cases and 72 controls [in both group mean age was 28 years, partial epilepsy (80.6 %), generalized epilepsy (19.4 %)]; 30 cases and 60 controls were seizure-free before pregnancy and in period 1, respectively. During pregnancy 72 % of cases remained 'unchanged' while 8 and 19 % respectively 'improved' and 'worsened'; moreover, there was no statistical difference in the number of seizure-free patients and in the monthly seizure frequencies. No differences were found in controls. In this prospective case-control study, pregnancy does not affect seizure frequency in women with epilepsy.
- Subjects
CASE-control method; EPILEPSY in pregnancy; DRUG seizures (Law enforcement); DISEASES in women; LONGITUDINAL method
- Publication
Neurological Sciences, 2015, Vol 36, Issue 1, p79
- ISSN
1590-1874
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10072-014-1908-0