{"title":"Effects of COVID-19 Infection and Vaccines on Patients with Epilepsy: Real-Life Experiences.","authors":"Özge Öcek, Pınar Ortan","doi":"10.29399/npa.28314","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The current study evaluates the effects of COVID-19 infection and the safety of vaccines in patients with epilepsy (PWEs).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The study was conducted with PWEs who were vaccinated against COVID-19. The sample was separated into two groups as those with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and those with non-resistant epilepsy, and their seizure frequencies, seizure types, development of status epilepticus, changes in doses and/or types of drugs, electroencephalographs (EEGs) before and after COVID-19 infection, and vaccination with mRNA or inactivated vaccines were monitored and compared. Changes in seizure patterns were also inquired about following the administration of vaccines other than COVID-19.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Included in the study were 307 PWEs with a mean age of 42.62±14.74, among whom COVID-19 PCR positivity was detected in 97(31.6%). Those who experienced no increase in seizure frequency while infected with COVID-19 were significantly under monotherapy (p=0.031). The mean seizure frequency was 2.70±5.19 per year before vaccination, but increased to 3.20±5.82 after. A significant relationship was identified between abnormal EEG and increased seizure frequency across the entire sample and the mRNA group (p=0.011, p=0.004). The frequency of seizures increased significantly in the DRE patients after receiving the mRNA vaccine (p=0.023). Overall, increased seizure frequencies were observed in 29.9% of the sample during COVID-19 infection, with increases of 16.4% in those who received the mRNA vaccine, 8.6% after inactivated vaccines and 25% after non-COVID-19 vaccines.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>COVID-19 infection was found to be associated with a higher increased seizure frequency risk than being vaccinated, and COVID-19 vaccines do not differ from other vaccines in terms of the risk to PWEs.</p>","PeriodicalId":51142,"journal":{"name":"Noropsikiyatri Arsivi-Archives of Neuropsychiatry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10709704/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Noropsikiyatri Arsivi-Archives of Neuropsychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.29399/npa.28314","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: The current study evaluates the effects of COVID-19 infection and the safety of vaccines in patients with epilepsy (PWEs).
Method: The study was conducted with PWEs who were vaccinated against COVID-19. The sample was separated into two groups as those with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and those with non-resistant epilepsy, and their seizure frequencies, seizure types, development of status epilepticus, changes in doses and/or types of drugs, electroencephalographs (EEGs) before and after COVID-19 infection, and vaccination with mRNA or inactivated vaccines were monitored and compared. Changes in seizure patterns were also inquired about following the administration of vaccines other than COVID-19.
Results: Included in the study were 307 PWEs with a mean age of 42.62±14.74, among whom COVID-19 PCR positivity was detected in 97(31.6%). Those who experienced no increase in seizure frequency while infected with COVID-19 were significantly under monotherapy (p=0.031). The mean seizure frequency was 2.70±5.19 per year before vaccination, but increased to 3.20±5.82 after. A significant relationship was identified between abnormal EEG and increased seizure frequency across the entire sample and the mRNA group (p=0.011, p=0.004). The frequency of seizures increased significantly in the DRE patients after receiving the mRNA vaccine (p=0.023). Overall, increased seizure frequencies were observed in 29.9% of the sample during COVID-19 infection, with increases of 16.4% in those who received the mRNA vaccine, 8.6% after inactivated vaccines and 25% after non-COVID-19 vaccines.
Conclusion: COVID-19 infection was found to be associated with a higher increased seizure frequency risk than being vaccinated, and COVID-19 vaccines do not differ from other vaccines in terms of the risk to PWEs.
期刊介绍:
Archives of Neuropsychiatry (Arch Neuropsychiatry) is the official journal of the Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society. It is published quarterly, and four editions annually constitute a volume.
Archives of Neuropsychiatry is a peer reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles on psychiatry, neurology, and behavioural sciences. Both clinical and basic science contributions are welcomed. Submissions that address topics in the interface of neurology and psychiatry are encouraged. The content covers original research articles, reviews, letters to the editor, and case reports.