Short-term treatment outcome of childhood epilepsy in Jos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Childhood epilepsy causes tremendous burden for the child, the family, the society and the healthcare system. While the majority of patients with epilepsy respond well to one antiepileptic drug (AED), many respond poorly to antiepileptic therapy with two or more AEDs, or develop drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). We evaluated the short-term treatment outcomes of childhood epilepsy at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of newly diagnosed children with epilepsy that were commenced on AEDs from January 2011 to December 2015 and completed follow-up for at least 2 years. We evaluated their treatment outcomes and studied the association between the treatment outcomes and patients’ characteristics. Results: Three hundred and twenty-six patients met the eligibility criteria. The remission rate was 64.1%, the relapse rate at 2 years was 5.3% while the prevalence of drug-resistant epilepsy was 19.9%. Children with focal seizures were 1.5 times more likely to achieve remission compared to those with generalized seizures (adjusted odds ratio = 1.52; P = 0.008). Similarly children with normal neurologic examination were about 6 times more likely to achieve remission compared to those with abnormal neurologic examination (adjusted odds ratio = 5.79; P <0.001). Conclusion: Most children with epilepsy will achieve good seizure control if they receive appropriate treatment. We need to create more public awareness on the etiology and treatment of epilepsy in order to reduce the myths and stigma associated with the disorder and improve the long term outcome of childhood epilepsy in our community.