Frequency and Predictors of Early Seizures Following First Acute Stroke: Data from a University Hospital in South India

Abstract

Background: Stroke is a common neurological condition, and post-stroke seizures are known to occur. Early seizures may suggest the severity of insult and may have an effect on the outcome. There are conflicting results on the frequency of early seizures, and studies from India are scarce.

Aim: To study the frequency and predictors of early seizures following the first acute stroke, both arterial and venous stroke, as well as to assess their effect on clinical outcome.

Patients and methods: This is a hospital-based, prospective, observational study conducted among 279 eligible consecutive patients admitted in the Neurology department with first acute stroke, including venous stroke. The demographic data, clinical history, risk factors, examination, and all other relevant investigations are done. Early seizures occurring within 7 days of the acute stroke are identified and correlated to various risk factors.

Results: Out of the 279 patients enrolled in the study, ischemic stroke (IS) (62.4%) was the most common stroke subtype, followed by hemorrhagic stroke (HS) (20.4%), cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) (15.8%), and IS with hemorrhagic transformation (ISH) (1.8%). Thirty-three patients (11.8%) had early seizures, among them CSVT 18 (40.9%) had the highest frequency followed by ISH 1 (20%), HS 5 (8.7%), and IS 9 (5.2%).

Conclusions: The frequency of early onset post-stroke seizures is 11.8%, with most of them occurring within 24 hours. Venous stroke, large lesion, cortical location, supratentorial location, hypercoaguable states, and hyperhomocysteinemia are independent predictors. Duration of hospital stay is increased in patients with early seizures, however, they did not influence the in-hospital mortality.

Keywords: Acute stroke; early seizures; lesion location; modified Rankin's scale.