Late Electrographic Seizures in Iraqi Patients with Stroke; The Role of Antiepileptic Therapy Al-Himyari Fizel Abbas* Hammurrabi Medical College, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq *Corresponding Author: Fizel Abbas Al-Himyari, Hammurrabi Medical College, University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq, Email: fizel222@yahoo.com
Online published on 23 December, 2019. Abstract Background Studies on post-stroke seizures whether clinical or subclinical have given conflicting results. Therefore, the aim of our study was to elucidate the incidence of late electrographic (EEG) seizures (after one month from the stroke) and to observe the role of antiepileptic therapy in reducing proceeding clinical seizures or epilepsy in Iraqi patients. Method The study was done in Iraq in both Baghdad and Babylon Teaching Hospitals. Follow up was done after that and the patients were given antiepileptic therapy for 2 years. The number of patients was 198. One hundred and thirty of them had ischemic stroke and 68 had hemorrhagic stroke. The number of male patients was 110 and that of females was 88. The control group patients were (100). The drug levitiracetam was given to 50% of the patients with ischemic stroke and to 50% of those with hemorrhagic stroke with late electrographic seizures and follow up was done for both groups on levitiracetam and those without for 2 years. Results The results showed that late electrographic seizures were seen in 30% of ischemic stroke patients and 50% of hemorrhagic stroke patients. Clinical epilepsy was observed in only 5% of those with hemorrhagic stroke patients on levitiracetam and in 20% of those hemorrhagic stroke patients without medication. Clinical epilepsy was also observed in only 2% of ischemic stroke patients on levitiracetam and in 10% of those with ischemic stroke, but without medication. Conclusion Late electrographic (EEG) seizures commonly occur in stroke patients. Prescribing antiepileptic therapy to those patients reduced the incidence of clinical seizures or epilepsy. We recommend giving antiepileptic drugs, especially levitiracetam to stroke patients with late electrographic seizures for at least 2 years. Top Keywords Epilepsy, EEG, Levitiracetam, Hemorrhagic stroke, Ischemic stroke. Top |