ABSTRACT

We aimed to investigate the effects of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 infection on seizure recurrence in patients with epilepsy and the factors which may possibly be related to a deterioration of the seizure control.

We evaluated the patients with epilepsy consecutively for 6 months. Data were collected in a pre-defined questionnaire from the patients and/or their parents, and past medical records.

A total of 574 patients were investigated during the study period, and 104 patients (18.1%) with epilepsy had COVID-19 infection. The majority of the patients (59.6%) were males. Sixteen patients with epilepsy (15.4%) had an increase in seizure frequency during COVID-19 infection. The mean age of the patients and the age at disease onset were significantly lower in patients with seizure exacerbation. The seizure frequency and the frequency of having a seizure within 1 month before the COVID-19 infection were also higher in these patients. Myalgia was significantly more common in patients with an increase in seizure frequency. The duration of the loss of smell and/or taste has lasted much more longer in this group of patients (48.0+60.6 vs. 13.8+13.4 days; p=0.013). The need for hospitalization was also more common in patients with seizure exacerbation (25.0% vs. 6.8%, p=0.045).

This is the first study showing that one out of every six or seven patients with epilepsy will have seizure exacerbation during COVID-19 infection. Young patients, patients with early-onset epilepsy, and those with high seizure frequency were at higher risk for the seizure exacerbation.

Keywords: Coronavirus disease-19 infection, epilepsy, seizure recurrence