Seizure frequency and bioelectric brain activity in epileptic patients in stable and unstable atmospheric pressure and temperature in different seasons of the year--a preliminary report

Abstract

Background and purpose: An epileptic seizure is a sum of exogenous and endogenous factors affecting an epileptic focus. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of changes in atmospheric pressure and temperature on the increase in the frequency of seizures and changes in EEG in epileptic patients.

Material and methods: The study included 30 epileptic patients (aged 19-54) reporting the influence of changes in weather conditions on the increase in the frequency of seizures for at least 2 years. EEG was performed twice each season at the time of stable and unstable weather conditions.

Results: In stable and unstable weather conditions, epileptic changes in EEG were most often found in winter (in 43.3% and 63.3% of patients, respectively). Unstable weather conditions increased the proportion of patients with epileptic changes in EEG also in the other seasons. Unstable weather conditions caused an increase in the frequency of seizures in 40% of patients in spring, 43.3% in autumn, 40% in winter and in approximately 7% in summer.

Conclusions: In spring, autumn and winter, unstable weather conditions cause an increase in the frequency of seizures in almost half of the epileptic patients but only in 7% in summer. The increase in frequency of seizures in unstable weather conditions did not correspond in all patients with increase of changes in EEG. The higher proportion of epileptic patients with changes in EEG in unstable weather conditions in all seasons suggests an impact of these conditions on subclinical seizure discharges in this period.