
Socio-demographic, Clinicoaetiological and Treatment Profile of Children with Epilepsy Aged 6 to 15 Years: A Cross-sectional Study from Western Maharashtra, India
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Amodini Arora,
House No. 701, Building Aster 5, Sukhwani Complex, Vallabhnagar, Pimpri, Pune-411018, Maharashtra, India.
E-mail: amodiniarora@gmail.com
Introduction: The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) task force proposed that epilepsy be considered a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions: 1) At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart; 2) One unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures occurring over the next 10 years; 3) A diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome.
Aim: To study the sociodemographic, clinicoaetiological and treatment profile among children with epilepsy aged 6-15 years.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra, India over a period of 24 months from July 2022 to July 2024. A total of 98 children, aged 6-15 years, diagnosed with epilepsy of any aetiology and with a duration of at least six months, seen in the Outpatient Department (OPD) or admitted in the ward of Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, comprised the study population. A detailed medical and neurological history, along with clinical examinations, was documented using a structured clinical proforma. The type of epilepsy and its syndromic classification were also determined.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 9.17 years, with a male gender preponderance. Eighty-five (86.7%) children were born preterm. Normal vaginal delivery was the most common mode of delivery, occurring in 63 (64.3%). A total of 69 (70.4%) had a normal weight at birth. Thirty-five (35.7%) of the study subjects required admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Fifty-five (56.1%) exhibited developmental delay, and IQ assessment revealed borderline IQ in the majority, with 58 (59.1%) subjects falling into this category. The commonest age of onset of seizures was greater than 5 years in 43 (43.9%) subjects. Twenty-nine (29.6%) had epilepsy for more than 2-5 years. Focal onset seizures were the most common, occurring in 66 (67.4%), and 14 (14.3%) experienced seizures daily. Fifty-three (54.1%) experienced uncontrolled seizures and belonged to the refractory category. Abnormal neurological findings were seen in 56 (57.1%) subjects. Seventy-one (72.4%) had abnormal Electroencephalogram (EEG) findings. Fifty-eight (59.2%) subjects received polytherapy. One (1.0%) patient underwent epilepsy surgery, 10 (10.2%) were on a ketogenic diet, while 87 (88.8%) subjects were on drug therapy alone. Structural aetiology was identified in a majority, with 49 (50%) subjects, and the most commonly administered Anti-Seizure Medication (ASM) was levetiracetam.
Conclusion: Children with epilepsy require prompt stabilisation and resuscitation, along with meticulous history-taking, detailed examination and stepwise implementation of laboratory investigations, EEG and neuroimaging to delineate the underlying aetiology and plan treatment for better prognostic outcomes.
Abnormal magnetic resonance imaging, Abnormal neurological examination, Seizures
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2025/78399.21072
Date of Submission: Jan 31, 2025
Date of Peer Review: Feb 22, 2025
Date of Acceptance: May 20, 2025
Date of Publishing: Jun 01, 2025
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was Ethics Committee Approval obtained for this study? Yes
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? Yes
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. NA
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ETYMOLOGY: Author Origin
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