Early seizures following non-penetrating traumatic brain injury in adults: risk factors and clinical significance

Abstract

Background: In the literature dissenting data are obtained about risk factors for early post-traumatic seizures and their impact on outcome. This study was conducted to obtain more information about the clinical significance of early seizures and their possible impact on the treatment of traumatic brain injury.

Methods and results: A consecutive series of 1868 adult patients with head injury were analysed retrospectively. Demographic data of the patients, characteristics of the injury, and findings on CT scan were recorded. Risk factors for early post-traumatic seizures were identified using univariate statistics. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to look for interaction of different variables. The impact of early post-traumatic seizures on outcome was examined in an analogous way. Chronic alcohol abuse, subdural haematoma and brain contusion were identified as independent risk factors for early post-traumatic seizures. A significant association of early post-traumatic seizures with an unfavourable outcome was observed, but this effect was small compared to other variables.

Conclusions: Early post-traumatic seizures appear to be an acute reaction of the brain to cortical damage with little independent impact on the management of head injury.