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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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Desouky A, Fuentes V, Tiwari C, Usui H, Smith Ayala AH, Wilson SE, Diaz MM. Hospital outcomes of acute COVID-19 infection among patients with neurological conditions: a single-center study. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1434046. [PMID: 39050126 PMCID: PMC11266104 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1434046] [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: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has been associated with severe neurological consequences, including stroke or seizures, and less severe neurological sequelae, including headaches, dizziness, and anosmia. Earlier COVID-19 variants were associated with high morbidity and mortality; however, knowledge of the impact of neurological conditions in the setting of COVID-19 on healthcare outcomes is limited. We sought to determine the impact of acute neurological conditions and acute COVID-19 infection on inpatient hospitalization outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective, observational study of adult patients who were admitted to a large academic medical center in the Southeastern US between April 2020 and December 2021 with acute COVID-19 infection and a neurological diagnosis. Patient demographics, medical history, neurological diagnoses, and hospitalization outcomes were obtained from the medical record. Descriptive statistics and unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Of the 1,387 patients included in this study, 27% died and 23% were kept under ventilation during hospitalization. The mean +/- standard deviation (SD) age was 64.6+/-16.9 years, with 52.8% women and 30.1% identifying as Black/African American. The most common neurological conditions included ischemic stroke (35.0%), movement disorder (12.0%), and hemorrhagic stroke (10.7%). In-hospital death was most common among those with epilepsy (p = 0.024), headache (p = 0.026), and dementia (p < 0.0001) compared to individuals without those conditions. Ventilation support was given more commonly to dementia patients (p = 0.020). Age was a significant risk factor for death (p < 0.001) and hospital length of stay (LOS) for ventilation (p < 0.001), but no neurological condition was a significant factor in adjusted logistic regression analyses. Discussion Mortality was high in this study, with more than one-quarter of patients dying in the hospital. Death was the most common among those with epilepsy, headache, or dementia, but no neurological condition increased the risk of in-hospital mortality or ventilation. Future studies would determine the long-term neurological sequelae of those discharged from the hospital with COVID-19 and a neurological condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Desouky
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Venessa Fuentes
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chhitij Tiwari
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Hikari Usui
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Arthor H. Smith Ayala
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Susan E. Wilson
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Monica M. Diaz
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Delazer L, Pressler N, Balestrini S, Xiao F, Clayton LM, Anders‐Cannon J, Salvatierra R, Henry I, Sisodiya SM, Sander JW, Koepp MJ. COVID-19 response in a long-term care facility for people with epilepsy. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:1059-1066. [PMID: 38593277 PMCID: PMC11145605 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12940] [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: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess asymptomatic rates and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with epilepsy and their healthcare workers in a long-term care facility which had implemented weekly surveillance testing between April 2020 and June 2022. METHODS Questionnaires focused on objective and subjective COVID-19 symptoms for people with epilepsy residing in and their healthcare workers at the Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy in June 2022. Demographic information, comorbidities, and seizure frequency were gathered from medical records. We also collected responses on objective and subjective COVID-19 symptoms from healthcare workers who participated in a prospective study assessing the reaction to COVID-19 vaccinations (SAFER). RESULTS Fifty-five out of 89 (62%) residents tested positive at least once on weekly PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 during the period of interest; 20 of those (37%) were asymptomatic. In comparison, of those 63 healthcare workers who tested positive at least once on weekly testing during the same period, only four (6%) were asymptomatic. Of the 159 healthcare workers who also participated in the SAFER study, 41 tested positive at least once, and seven (17%) were completely asymptomatic during infection with SARS-CoV-2. SIGNIFICANCE People with epilepsy living in a long-term care facility were more likely to present with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections than healthcare workers at the same facility. Despite possible bias in the reporting of subjective symptoms due to management-by-proxy, there is no evidence that vulnerable people living in an epilepsy long-term care facility showed reduced resilience towards infections. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY People with epilepsy living in care home facilities had a surprisingly high degree of asymptomatic infections with SARS-CoV-2. Very few residents had severe or fatal outcomes. This is in stark contrast to the widely reported bad outcomes for people without epilepsy in other care homes. People with epilepsy reported significantly less symptoms than their healthcare workers. No changes in seizure frequency during or after infection were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Delazer
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- Department of Neurology, Epilepsy CenterLudwig Maximilians UniversityMunichGermany
| | - Noah Pressler
- University of Nottingham, Medical SchoolNottinghamUK
| | - Simona Balestrini
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- Neuroscience Department, Children's Hospital A. Meyer IRCSSUniversity of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Fenglai Xiao
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- Department of Neurology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Lisa M. Clayton
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | | | | | - Ian Henry
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
| | - Sanjay M. Sisodiya
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
| | - Josemir W. Sander
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
- Department of Neurology, West China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN)HeemstedeThe Netherlands
| | - Matthias J. Koepp
- Chalfont Centre for EpilepsyChalfont St Peter, BucksUK
- Department of Clinical & Experimental EpilepsyUCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUK
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Strafford H, Hollinghurst J, Lacey AS, Akbari A, Watkins A, Paterson J, Jennings D, Lyons RA, Powell HR, Kerr MP, Chin RF, Pickrell WO. Health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy during COVID-19: A population study. Epilepsia 2024; 65:1394-1405. [PMID: 38441332 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to characterize changes in health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy (PWE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We performed a retrospective study using linked, individual-level, population-scale anonymized health data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank. We identified PWE living in Wales during the study "pandemic period" (January 1, 2020-June 30, 2021) and during a "prepandemic" period (January 1, 2016-December 31, 2019). We compared prepandemic health care utilization, status epilepticus, and mortality rates with corresponding pandemic rates for PWE and people without epilepsy (PWOE). We performed subgroup analyses on children (<18 years old), older people (>65 years old), those with intellectual disability, and those living in the most deprived areas. We used Poisson models to calculate adjusted rate ratios (RRs). RESULTS We identified 27 279 PWE who had significantly higher rates of hospital (50.3 visits/1000 patient months), emergency department (55.7), and outpatient attendance (172.4) when compared to PWOE (corresponding figures: 25.7, 25.2, and 87.0) in the prepandemic period. Hospital and epilepsy-related hospital admissions, and emergency department and outpatient attendances all reduced significantly for PWE (and all subgroups) during the pandemic period. RRs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for pandemic versus prepandemic periods were .70 [.69-.72], .77 [.73-.81], .78 [.77-.79], and .80 [.79-.81]. The corresponding rates also reduced for PWOE. New epilepsy diagnosis rates decreased during the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period (2.3/100 000/month cf. 3.1/100 000/month, RR = .73, 95% CI = .68-.78). Both all-cause deaths and deaths with epilepsy recorded on the death certificate increased for PWE during the pandemic (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = .997-1.145 and RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 2.12-2.81). When removing COVID deaths, RRs were .88 (95% CI = .81-.95) and 1.29 (95% CI = 1.08-1.53). Status epilepticus rates did not change significantly during the pandemic (RR = .95, 95% CI = .78-1.15). SIGNIFICANCE All-cause non-COVID deaths did not increase but non-COVID deaths associated with epilepsy did increase for PWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The longer term effects of the decrease in new epilepsy diagnoses and health care utilization and increase in deaths associated with epilepsy need further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huw Strafford
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Joe Hollinghurst
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Arron S Lacey
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Alan Watkins
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | | | - Ronan A Lyons
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - H Robert Powell
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
| | - Michael P Kerr
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
| | - Richard F Chin
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Department of Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, UK
| | - William O Pickrell
- Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
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Strafford H, Hollinghurst J, Lacey AS, Akbari A, Watkins A, Paterson J, Jennings D, Lyons RA, Powell HR, Kerr MP, Chin RF, Pickrell WO. Epilepsy and the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death: A population study. Epilepsia 2024; 65:1383-1393. [PMID: 38441374 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with epilepsy (PWE) may be at an increased risk of severe COVID-19. It is important to characterize this risk to inform PWE and for future health and care planning. We assessed whether PWE were at higher risk of being hospitalized with, or dying from, COVID-19. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study using linked, population-scale, anonymized electronic health records from the SAIL (Secure Anonymised Information Linkage) databank. This includes hospital admission and demographic data for the complete Welsh population (3.1 million) and primary care records for 86% of the population. We identified 27 279 PWE living in Wales during the study period (March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021). Controls were identified using exact 5:1 matching (sex, age, and socioeconomic status). We defined COVID-19 deaths as having International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for COVID-19 on death certificates or occurring within 28 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. COVID-19 hospitalizations were defined as having a COVID-19 ICD-10 code for the reason for admission or occurring within 28 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test. We recorded COVID-19 vaccinations and comorbidities known to increase the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios. RESULTS There were 158 (.58%) COVID-19 deaths and 933 (3.4%) COVID-19 hospitalizations in PWE, and 370 (.27%) deaths and 1871 (1.4%) hospitalizations in controls. Hazard ratios for COVID-19 death and hospitalization in PWE compared to controls were 2.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.78-2.59) and 2.15 (95% CI = 1.94-2.37), respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios (adjusted for comorbidities) for death and hospitalization were 1.32 (95% CI = 1.08-1.62) and 1.60 (95% CI = 1.44-1.78). SIGNIFICANCE PWE are at increased risk of being hospitalized with, and dying from, COVID-19 when compared to age-, sex-, and deprivation-matched controls, even when adjusting for comorbidities. This may have implications for prioritizing future COVID-19 treatments and vaccinations for PWE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huw Strafford
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Joe Hollinghurst
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Arron S Lacey
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Alan Watkins
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | | | - Ronan A Lyons
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - H Robert Powell
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
| | - Michael P Kerr
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
| | - Richard F Chin
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Department of Child Life and Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, UK
| | - William O Pickrell
- Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
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Rider F, Hauser WA, Yakovlev A, Shpak A, Guekht A. Incidence, severity and outcomes of COVID-19 in age and gender matched adults with and without epilepsy in Moscow: A historical cohort study. Seizure 2023; 112:32-39. [PMID: 37741151 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that PWE have an increased risk to acquire COVID-19. This was a historical cohort study to determine COVID-19 incidence, severity, mortality and risk factors in adults with active epilepsy (PWE) compared to residents of Moscow without epilepsy matched by age, gender, and region of residence - Moscow Community Comparisons (MCC). METHODS Subjects were derived from a cohort of adult PWE and a cohort of age- and gender-matched population-based MCC without epilepsy identified in 2018. Incidence of COVID-19 was compared in each cohort from 01.03.2020 through 28.02.21. Influence of age, gender, comorbidities, and for the PWE cohort, epilepsy type, seizure frequency, and number/class of antiseizure medications was evaluated using Pearson's chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS We found 887 COVID-19 positive people in the two cohorts: 156 in PWE (51.8 ± 19.7 years) and 731 in MCC (52.0 ± 17.3 years,). COVID-19 incidence was lower in PWE: 13.8 % versus 18.7 % in MCC (p = 0.0002). In PWE no specific epilepsy related variables influenced incidence. Despite no difference in severity distribution in PWE versus MCC, hospitalization rate (37.6 % versus 25.5 %, p = 0.002), disease duration (57.1 % versus 47.1, p = 0.023), and mortality (10.9% versus 4.2 %, p = 0.0009) were significantly higher in PWE. Age and number of comorbidities significantly influenced COVID-19 incidence, severity, duration, and outcomes in both cohorts. SIGNIFICANCE Incidence of COVID-19 in PWE in Moscow was significantly lower compared to MCC. Age and comorbidities were strongly associated with severity, duration and outcomes of COVID-19 for all infected persons. Higher mortality in PWE may be explained by a higher number of comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flora Rider
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - W Allen Hauser
- Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Alexander Yakovlev
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russian Federation; Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexander Shpak
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russian Federation; The S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alla Guekht
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow, Russian Federation; Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation
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You M, Yuan P, Li L, Li B, Peng Z, Xu H. The association between epilepsy and COVID-19: analysis based on Mendelian randomization and FUMA. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1235822. [PMID: 37781245 PMCID: PMC10540302 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1235822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective A multitude of observational studies have underscored a substantial comorbidity between COVID-19 and epilepsy. This study was aimed at establishing a conclusive causal link between these two conditions. Methods We employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate the causal link between COVID-19 and epilepsy, as well as its focal and generalized subtypes. The GWAS for epilepsy and its subtypes database were abstracted from both FinnGen consortium and ILAE. Additionally, we leveraged functional mapping and annotation (FUMA) to integrate information from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) results. Results The MR analyses revealed that genetic liability to COVID-19 infection conferred a causal effect on epilepsy [FinnGen: OR: 1.5306; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1676-2.0062, PFDR (false discovery rate) = 0.0076; ILAE: OR: 1.3440; 95% CI: 1.0235-1.7649, PFDR = 0.0429], and generalized epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 2.1155; 95% CI: 1.1734-3.8139, PFDR = 0.0327; ILAE: OR: 1.1245; 95% CI: 1.0444-1.2108, PFDR = 0.0114). Genetic liability to COVID-19 hospitalization conferred a causal effect on epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.0934; 95% CI: 1.0097-1.1841, PFDR = 0.0422; ILAE: OR: 1.7381; 95% CI: 1.0467-2.8862, PFDR = 0.0451), focal epilepsy (ILAE: OR: 1.7549; 95% CI: 1.1063-2.7838, PFDR = 0.0338), and generalized epilepsy (ILAE: OR: 1.1827; 95% CI: 1.0215-1.3693, PFDR = 0.0406). Genetic liability to COVID-19 severity conferred a causal effect on epilepsy (FinnGen consortium: OR: 1.2454; 95% CI: 1.0850-1.4295, PFDR = 0.0162; ILAE: OR: 1.2724; 95% CI: 1.0347-1.5647, PFDR = 0.0403), focal epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.6818; 95% CI: 1.1478-2.4642, PFDR = 0.0231; ILAE: OR: 1.6598; 95% CI: 1.2572-2.1914, PFDR = 0.0054), and generalized epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.1486; 95% CI: 1.0274-1.2842, PFDR = 0.0335; ILAE: OR: 1.0439; 95% CI: 1.0159-1.0728, PFDR = 0.0086). In contrast, no causal linkage of epilepsy on COVID-19 was observed. Further, FUMA analysis identified six overlapping genes, including SMEK2, PNPT1, EFEMP1, CCDC85A, VRK2, and BCL11A, shared between COVID-19 and epilepsy. Tissue-specific expression analyses revealed that the disease-gene associations of COVID-19 were significantly enriched in lung, ovary, and spleen tissue compartments, while being significantly enriched in brain tissue for epilepsy. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that COVID-19 can be a contributing factor to epilepsy, but we found no evidence that epilepsy contributes to COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hongbei Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guizhou, China
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Mbizvo GK, Schnier C, Ramsay J, Duncan SE, Chin RF. Epilepsy-related mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide study of routine Scottish data. Seizure 2023; 110:160-168. [PMID: 37393862 PMCID: PMC10257947 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.06.010] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether epilepsy-related deaths increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and if the proportion with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause is different between people experiencing epilepsy-related deaths and those experiencing deaths unrelated to epilepsy. METHODS This was a Scotland-wide, population-based, cross-sectional study of routinely-collected mortality data pertaining to March-August of 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic peak) compared to the corresponding periods in 2015-2019. ICD-10-coded causes of death of deceased people of any age were obtained from a national mortality registry of death certificates in order to identify those experiencing epilepsy-related deaths (coded G40-41), deaths with COVID-19 listed as a cause (coded U07.1-07.2), and deaths unrelated to epilepsy (death without G40-41 coded). The number of epilepsy-related deaths in 2020 were compared to the mean observed through 2015-2019 on an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model (overall, men, women). Proportionate mortality and odds ratios (OR) for deaths with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause were determined for the epilepsy-related deaths compared to deaths unrelated to epilepsy, reporting 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS A mean number of 164 epilepsy-related deaths occurred through March-August of 2015-2019 (of which a mean of 71 were in women and 93 in men). There were subsequently 189 epilepsy-related deaths during the pandemic March-August 2020 (89 women, 100 men). This was 25 more epilepsy-related deaths (18 women, 7 men) compared to the mean through 2015-2019. The increase in women was beyond the mean year-to-year variation seen in 2015-2019. Proportionate mortality with COVID-19 listed as the underlying cause was similar between people experiencing epilepsy-related deaths (21/189, 11.1%, CI 7.0-16.5%) and deaths unrelated to epilepsy (3,879/27,428, 14.1%, CI 13.7-14.6%), OR 0.76 (CI 0.48-1.20). Ten of 18 excess epilepsy-related deaths in women had COVID-19 listed as an additional cause. CONCLUSIONS There is little evidence to suggest there have been any major increases in epilepsy-related deaths in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is a common underlying cause of both epilepsy-related and unrelated deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gashirai K Mbizvo
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom; Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Christian Schnier
- Usher Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Julie Ramsay
- Vital Events Statistics, National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Susan E Duncan
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Fm Chin
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Vossler DG. Does SARS-CoV-2 Cause Seizures and Epilepsy in COVID-19 via Inflammation or by Direct Infection? Epilepsy Curr 2023; 23:153-155. [PMID: 37334425 PMCID: PMC10273813 DOI: 10.1177/15357597231160601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Incidence of Epilepsy and Seizures Over the First 6 Months After a COVID-19 Diagnosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study Taquet M, Devinsky O, Cross JH, Harrison PJ, Sen A. Neurology. 2023;100:e790-e799. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201595. Background: The relationship between COVID-19 and epilepsy is uncertain. We studied the potential association between COVID-19 and seizures or epilepsy in the 6 months after infection. Methods: We applied validated methods to an electronic health records network (TriNetX Analytics) of 81 million people. We closely matched people with COVID-19 infections to those with influenza. In each cohort, we measured the incidence and hazard ratios (HRs) of seizures and of epilepsy. We stratified data by age and by whether the person was hospitalized during the acute infection. We then explored time-varying HRs to assess temporal patterns of seizure or epilepsy diagnoses. Results: We analyzed 860,934 electronic health records. After matching, this yielded 2 cohorts each of 152,754 patients. COVID-19 was associated with an increased risk of seizures and epilepsy compared with influenza. The incidence of seizures within 6 months of COVID-19 was 0.81% (95% CI, 0.75-0.88; HR compared to influenza 1.55 (1.39-1.74)). The incidence of epilepsy was 0.30% (0.26-0.34; HR compared to influenza 1.87 (1.54-2.28)). The HR of epilepsy after COVID-19 compared with influenza was greater in people who had not been hospitalized and in individuals younger than 16 years. The time of peak HR after infection differed by age and hospitalization status. Discussion: The incidence of new seizures or epilepsy diagnoses in the 6 months after COVID-19 was low overall, but higher than in matched patients with influenza. This difference was more marked in people who were not hospitalized, highlighting the risk of epilepsy and seizures even in those with less severe infection. Children appear at particular risk of seizures and epilepsy after COVID-19 providing another motivation to prevent COVID-19 infection in pediatric populations. That the varying time of peak risk related to hospitalization and age may provide clues as to the underlying mechanisms of COVID-associated seizures and epilepsy.
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Marcolino MS, Anschau F, Kopittke L, Pires MC, Barbosa IG, Pereira DN, Ramos LEF, Assunção LFI, Costa ASDM, Nogueira MCA, Duani H, Martins KPMP, Moreira LB, Silva CTCAD, Oliveira NRD, Ziegelmann PK, Guimarães-Júnior MH, Lima MOSDS, Aguiar RLO, Menezes LSM, Oliveira TF, Souza MD, Farace BL, Cimini CCR, Maurílio ADO, Guimarães SMM, Araújo SF, Nascimento GF, Silveira DV, Ruschel KB, Oliveira TCD, Schwarzbold AV, Nasi LA, Floriani MA, Santos VBD, Ramos CM, Alvarenga JCD, Scotton ALBA, Manenti ERF, Crestani GP, Batista JDL, Ponce D, Machado-Rugolo J, Bezerra AFB, Martelli PJDL, Vianna HR, Castro LCD, Medeiros CRG, Vietta GG, Pereira EC, Chatkin JM, Godoy MFD, Delfino-Pereira P, Teixeira AL. Frequency and burden of neurological manifestations upon hospital presentation in COVID-19 patients: Findings from a large Brazilian cohort. J Neurol Sci 2022; 443:120485. [PMID: 36375382 PMCID: PMC9645948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Scientific data regarding the prevalence of COVID-19 neurological manifestations and prognosis in Latin America countries is still lacking. Therefore, the study aims to understand neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV 2 infection and outcomes in the Brazilian population. METHODS This study is part of the Brazilian COVID-19 Registry, a multicentric cohort, including data from 37 hospitals. For the present analysis, patients were grouped according to the presence of reported symptoms (i.e., headache; anosmia and ageusia; syncope and dizziness) vs. clinically-diagnosed neurological manifestations (clinically-defined neurological syndrome: neurological signs or diagnoses captured by clinical evaluation) and matched with patients without neurological manifestations by age, sex, number of comorbidities, hospital of admission, and whether or not patients had underlying neurological disease. RESULTS From 6,635 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, 30.8% presented reported neurological manifestations, 10.3% were diagnosed with a neurological syndrome and 60.1% did not show any neurological manifestations. In patients with reported symptoms, the most common ones were headache (20.7%), ageusia (11.1%) and anosmia (8.0%). In patients with neurological syndromes, acute encephalopathy was the most common diagnosis (9.7%). In the matched analysis, patients with neurological syndromes presented more cases of septic shock (17.0 vs. 13.0%, p = 0.045), intensive care unit admission (45.3 vs. 38.9%, p = 0.023), and mortality (38.7 vs. 32.6%, p = 0.026; and 39.2 vs. 30.3%, p < 0.001) when compared to controls. CONCLUSION COVID-19 in-hospital patients with clinically defined neurological syndromes presented a higher incidence of septic shock, ICU admission and death when compared to controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Soriano Marcolino
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 110, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Telehealth Center, University Hospital, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 190, sala 246, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Institute for Health Technology Assessment (IATS/ CNPq). R. Ramiro Barcelos, 2359, Prédio 21, Sala 507, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Fernando Anschau
- Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Brazilian National Health System, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Hospital Cristo Redentor. Av. Francisco Trein, 326, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Luciane Kopittke
- Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Brazilian National Health System, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Hospital Cristo Redentor. Av. Francisco Trein, 326, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Magda Carvalho Pires
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, ICEx, sala 4071, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Izabela Guimarães Barbosa
- Mental Health Department, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 190, sala 246, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Daniella Nunes Pereira
- Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Lucas Emanuel Ferreira Ramos
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, ICEx, sala 4071, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Luís Fernando Israel Assunção
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, ICEx, sala 4071, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Helena Duani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 110, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Karina Paula Medeiros Prado Martins
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 110, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Luanna Silva Monteiro Menezes
- Instituto Mário Penna, Hospital Luxemburgo. R. Joaquim Cândido Filho, 91, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Hospital Metropolitano Odilon Behrens. R. Formiga, 50, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | - Maíra Dias Souza
- Hospital Metropolitano Odilon Behrens. R. Formiga, 50, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Bárbara Lopes Farace
- Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves. R. das Gabirobas, 01, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Karen Brasil Ruschel
- Institute for Health Technology Assessment (IATS/ CNPq). R. Ramiro Barcelos, 2359, Prédio 21, Sala 507, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Hospital Universitário Canoas. Av. Farroupilha, 8001, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | | | | | - Luiz Antônio Nasi
- Hospital Moinhos de Vento. R. Ramiro Barcelos, 910, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Maiara Anschau Floriani
- Hospital Moinhos de Vento. R. Ramiro Barcelos, 910, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Veridiana Baldon Dos Santos
- Grupo Hospitalar Conceição. Brazilian National Health System, Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Hospital Cristo Redentor. Av. Francisco Trein, 326, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Daniela Ponce
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. Av. Professor Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Machado-Rugolo
- Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. Av. Professor Mário Rubens Guimarães Montenegro, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Polianna Delfino-Pereira
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Av. Professor Alfredo Balena 110, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Institute for Health Technology Assessment (IATS/ CNPq). R. Ramiro Barcelos, 2359, Prédio 21, Sala 507, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
| | - Antonio Lucio Teixeira
- Faculdade Santa Casa BH. Av. dos Andradas, 2688, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UT Health Houston. 7000 Fannin St, Houston, EUA, USA.
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