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Zhou X, Ding D, Wang W, Zhou D, Sander JW. Mortality of Epilepsy in Chinese Populations: A Comprehensive Review. Neuroepidemiology 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39074464 DOI: 10.1159/000540426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature mortality is a significant part of the epilepsy burden and may vary across populations, especially between high-income and lower- and middle-income countries. People with epilepsy in China are approximately a fifth of the global population with epilepsy. Previous studies were unlikely to represent the situation in China due to limitations in design, methods, sample size, follow-up time, and other inherent population heterogeneity. SUMMARY By summarising the evidence on the mortality characteristics in Chinese populations with epilepsy in the last 6 decades, we found a median mortality rate of 14.7 (6.8-74.4)/1,000 person-years and a median standardised mortality ratio (SMR) of 4.4 (2.6-12.9) in population-based studies, and a median mortality rate of 12.3 (9.5-101.5)/1,000 person-years and a median SMR of 3.0 (1.5-5.1) in hospital-based studies. Vascular diseases, complications of diabetes, and accidental injuries were the leading causes of death. Risk factors for mortality were reported as older age, male, longer duration, and higher frequency of seizures. Case fatality ratios of status epilepticus in adults were higher than in children, and both increased with follow-up time. Mortality in people with symptomatic epilepsy was high and varied across different primary diseases. KEY MESSAGES The highest mortality rate and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) incidence were reported from the least developed areas in China. Accidental injuries were the most common causes of epilepsy-related deaths, while the incidence of SUDEP may be underestimated in Chinese populations. Further research is warranted to improve the understanding of premature mortality risk so that preventative measures can be introduced to improve the situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Zhou
- Institute of Neurology, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,
| | - Ding Ding
- Institute of Neurology, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzhi Wang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, West of China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Josemir W Sander
- Department of Neurology, West of China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, The Netherlands
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Liu Q, Tan B, Zhang J, Jin Y, Lei P, Wang X, Li M, Jia X, Zhang Q. Premature mortality risk in individuals with convulsive epilepsy: Results from a longitudinal, prospective, population-based study. Epilepsy Res 2023; 197:107243. [PMID: 37839339 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess premature mortality and identify associated risk factors among individuals with convulsive epilepsy in resource-poor settings using a longitudinal, prospective, population-based approach. METHOD The study recruited people with convulsive epilepsy who underwent assessment and management of epilepsy at primary healthcare centers in rural Northwest China, including newly diagnosed individuals and previously identified prevalent cases. All participants were confirmed to have epilepsy by neurologists according to strict criteria and were followed up monthly by primary care physicians. Demographic data and cause of death (COD) were obtained from death certificates or verbal autopsies conducted by neurologists, following the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and proportionate mortality ratio (PMR) for each cause of death were estimated using the Cause-Of-Death Surveillance Dataset of China (2020). Survival analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with all-cause mortality and death directly due to epilepsy. RESULTS During 5.9 years of follow-up with 40,947 person-years, there were 781 (11.2%) deaths among 6967 participants. The risk of premature death in people with convulsive epilepsy was 2.7-fold higher than that in the general population. Young participants had a significantly higher risk (standardized mortality ratio 26.5-52.5) of premature death. The proportionate mortality ratio was higher for cerebrovascular disease (15%), sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) (13.4%), cardiovascular disease (11.7%), status epilepsy (SE) (11.3%), and epilepsy-related accidents (14.0%) than other premature mortality cause of deaths. Additionally, the highest standardized proportional mortality ratio (SPMR) was observed from drowning in all cause of death (10.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.6-13.8), followed by burning (9.0, 95% CI: 3.7-18.9). Factors that increased the risk of all-cause mortality included male sex, late age of onset, short disease duration, high body mass index, monotherapy, and the frequency of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS). High frequency of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (> 3 attacks in the last year) was an independent risk factor for premature death directly due to epilepsy (including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, status epilepsy, and epilepsy-related accidents), while early age of onset (≤ 14 years) and long duration of epilepsy (> 20 years) were independent risk factors for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. In addition, short duration of epilepsy (≤ 20 years) was an independent risk factor for status epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that individuals with poorly controlled seizures are more likely to experience premature death, with most deaths being epilepsy-related and preventable. These findings underline the importance of effective seizure treatment and the potential impact on reducing premature mortality among people with convulsive epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Liu
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Incubation Base of National Key Laboratory, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China; Graduate College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Bofei Tan
- Graduate College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Graduate College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Yanzi Jin
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Incubation Base of National Key Laboratory, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Pingping Lei
- Ningxia Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Incubation Base of National Key Laboratory, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Mengyun Li
- Graduate College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Xiaodan Jia
- Graduate College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Incubation Base of National Key Laboratory, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Province, China.
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Johnson EL, Krauss GL, Kucharska-Newton A, Lam AD, Sarkis R, Gottesman RF. Mortality in Patients With Late-Onset Epilepsy: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Neurology 2021; 97:e1132-e1140. [PMID: 34282048 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of mortality and causes of death in persons with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) compared to those without epilepsy in a community-based sample, adjusting for demographics and comorbid conditions. METHODS This is an analysis of the prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, initiated in 1987-1989 among 15,792 mostly black and white men and women in 4 U.S. communities. We used Centers for Medicare Services fee-for-service claims codes to identify cases of incident epilepsy starting at or after age 67. We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to identify the hazard of mortality associated with LOE and to adjust for demographics and vascular risk factors. We used death certificate data to identify dates and causes of death. RESULTS Analyses included 9090 participants, of whom 678 developed LOE during median 11.5 years of follow-up after age 67. Participants who developed LOE were at an increased hazard of mortality compared to those who did not, with adjusted hazard ratio 2.39 (95% CI 2.12-2.71). We observed excess mortality due to stroke, dementia, neurologic conditions, and end-stage renal disease in participants with compared to without LOE. Only 4 deaths (1.1%) were directly attributed to seizure-related causes. CONCLUSIONS Persons who develop LOE are at increased risk of death compared to those without epilepsy, even after adjusting for comorbidities. The majority of this excess mortality is due to stroke and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Gregory L Krauss
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Anna Kucharska-Newton
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Alice D Lam
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Rani Sarkis
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca F Gottesman
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.,Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Ding D, Zhou D, Sander JW, Wang W, Li S, Hong Z. Epilepsy in China: major progress in the past two decades. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:316-326. [PMID: 33743240 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00023-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
China has approximately 10 million people with epilepsy. There is a vast epilepsy treatment gap in China, mainly driven by deficiencies in health-care delivery and social discrimination resulting from cultural beliefs about epilepsy. WHO's Global Campaign Against Epilepsy project in China showed that it was possible to treat epilepsy in primary care settings, which was a notable milestone. The China Association Against Epilepsy has been a necessary force to stimulate interest in epilepsy care and research by the medical and scientific community. Nearly 20 different anti-seizure medications are now available in China. Non-pharmacological options are also available, but there are still unmet needs for epilepsy management. The Chinese epilepsy research portfolio is varied, but the areas in which there are the most concentrated focus and expertise are epidemiology and clinical research. The challenges for further improvement in delivering care for people with epilepsy in China are primarily related to public health and reducing inequalities within this vast country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Ding
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Josemir W Sander
- NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, UK; Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland, Heemstede, Netherlands.
| | - Wenzhi Wang
- Department of Neuroepidemiology, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Shichuo Li
- China Association against Epilepsy, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Hong
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Xiao X, Si Y, Mo Q, Liu Y, Li C, Zhao J, Ma S, Si L, Xi Z, Chen L, Wu D, He Q, Hu M, Zhang C, Sun H. Development and validation of the Chinese Version of the Adult Epilepsy Self-Management Scale (C-ESMS) in Western China. Epilepsy Res 2018; 144:43-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Si Y, Xiao X, Xiang S, Liu J, Mo Q, Sun H. Risk assessment of in-hospital mortality of patients with epilepsy: A large cohort study. Epilepsy Behav 2018; 84:44-48. [PMID: 29753293 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to explore the mortality risks of hospitalized patients with epilepsy (PWE). METHODS Our data source was extracted from discharge abstracts in a hospital medical database. Various clinical variables, including demographical characteristics, natural features of epilepsy, and comprehensive set of comorbidities, were screened to investigate the risk. Comorbidities were defined using a validated ICD-10-based classification. The distributions of comorbid conditions and demographics were presented. In-hospital mortality rates of groups with epilepsy and without epilepsy were compared. Logistic regression was applied to explore the important predictors of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS A cohort of 11,422 PWE (male: 58.5%, mean age: 40.2 years) was recruited for the study. The most common comorbidities were cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease, which accounted for 23.5%, 18.8%, and 8.0% of the study cohort, respectively. In-hospital mortality rates were 2.9% and 1.1% in the epilepsy and nonepilepsy cohort, respectively. Male patients exhibited an increased risk of death (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0-1.6). Patients aged over 65 years were more likely to die than those below 18 years (OR = 18.2; 95% CI = 8.8-31.0). Patients with comorbidities, including central nervous system (CNS) infections, renal disease, traumatic brain and head injuries, anoxic brain injury, metastatic cancer, pulmonary circulation disorders, encephalopathy, solid tumor without metastasis, cardiac arrhythmias, and diabetes without complication, had a higher risk of in-hospital death than patients without comorbidities (OR = 6.1, 5.2, 5.1, 4.4, 3.7, 2.5, 2.4, 2.0, 1.5, 1.4, respectively; 95% CI = 4.1-9.1, 3.8-7.0, 2.8-9.5, 2.4-8.3, 2.2-6.3, 1.5-4.3, 1.4-4.2, 1.1-3.7, 1.1-2.1, 1.0-1.9, respectively). CONCLUSION The in-hospital mortality of PWE increased remarkably with age, and this parameter was predominant in male patients. Central nervous system infection, renal disease, traumatic brain and head injuries, anoxic brain injury, metastatic cancer, pulmonary circulation disorders, encephalopathy, solid tumor without metastasis, cardiac arrhythmias, and diabetes without complication were the most important comorbidities associated with in-hospital death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Si
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, 32# W. Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd., Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
| | - Xiaoqiang Xiao
- Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Shunju Xiang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, 32# W. Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd., Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Qianning Mo
- Department of Medical Affair, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, 32# W. Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd., Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Hongbin Sun
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, 32# W. Sec 2, 1st Ring Rd., Chengdu 610072, Sichuan Province, China.
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Terminal seizure frequency and its relation to SUDEP. Epilepsy Behav 2017; 70:173-176. [PMID: 28427028 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a major cause of death in patients with epilepsy. Several risk factors have been implicated, including early age of onset, tonic-clonic seizures and antiepileptic drugs. However, whether patients who die from SUDEP have a greater frequency of seizures in the few months before death is unclear. We investigated the terminal seizure frequency and its relation to SUDEP among a large group of patients with tonic-clonic seizures in rural West China. METHODS We used the database from the Convulsive Epilepsy Control and Management Program in West China, which routinely provides phenobarbital (PB) as a treatment for convulsive epilepsy. Patients with probable SUDEP were included according to pre-set criteria. A verbal autopsy was undertaken for each case. By matching each patient's age, sex, date of joining the program, time in follow-up, and baseline seizure frequency, we set up a 1:5 ratio control group. SPSS 21.0 statistics were applied to compare the differences in seizure frequency 3months prior to SUDEP between patients with probable SUDEP and controls. Furthermore, the dynamic changes of terminal seizure frequency 6-9months, 3-6months, and 3months prior to SUDEP was also analyzed. RESULTS A total of 41 patients who died from probable SUDEP were identified out of 7844 patients during 10years of follow-up. The SUDEP group had a significantly higher tonic-clonic seizure frequency 3months before their deaths than the control group (p=0.023). At the same time, their seizure-free rate was lower than the control group (p=0.025). Patients with probable SUDEP who were followed up over 12months were further studied as a subgroup. They had more tonic-clonic seizures 3months prior to death compared to the control group (p=0.010). They also had an increase in seizure frequency in their terminal phase (3months prior) compared to an earlier stage (3-6months prior) (p=0.029). Furthermore, the terminal PB dose in the SUDEP group was higher than the control group (p=0.002). CONCLUSION Patients who died from SUDEP had more frequent tonic-clonic seizures 3months before their deaths. Higher seizure frequency increases the exposure to peri-ictal pathophysiological events, which possibly relate to SUDEP. This phenomenon may be due to the drug resistance potential of these patients or the high dose of PB. Further research is required to ascertain the underlying mechanisms of SUDEP.
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