SEIZURE CONTROL STATUS AND ITS PREDICTORS AMONG CHILDREN WITHEPILEPSY IN SOKOTO

Abstract

Epilepsy comprises a diverse group of neurological disorders affecting approximately 10.5 million children globally
and 671,000 in Nigeria. Appropriately selected antiseizure medication (ASM) remains the first-line treatment for its
management. This study, therefore, assessed the predictors of good seizure control status among children with
epilepsy receiving care at tertiary health facilities in a Northwestern Nigerian state. This study presents a seven-year
retrospective review of epilepsy management among patients under 15 years of age who received care at the
Paediatric Neurology Clinics of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and Federal
Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto. A total of 2,250 children with epilepsy (CWE) were included in the
study. The median (IQR; range) age, age at seizure onset, and epilepsy duration were 9 (5–12; 0.33–14) years, 2 (1–
5; 0.003–13) years, and 5 (2.42–6.58; 0–14) years, respectively. Most participants were males (65.3%), in school
(50.7%), without comorbidities (76.9%), triggers (94.2%), or ASM adverse effects (88.0%). ASM monotherapy
(91.1%) and adherence (71.1%) were common. Good seizure control occurred in 51.1% of CWE and was predicted
by low socioeconomic status (P=0.000, OR=2.166, 95% CI=1.683–2.788), absence of comorbidity (P=0.000,
OR=2.428, 95% CI=1.819–3.242), no epilepsy-induced injury (P=0.000, OR=3.324, 95% CI=1.849–5.976), history
of status epilepticus (P=0.000, OR=2.345, 95% CI=1.805–3.047), herbal remedy use (P=0.000, OR=3.735, 95%
CI=2.841–4.909), and carbamazepine monotherapy (P=0.000, OR=3.816, 95% CI=2.822–5.161). Good seizure
control in the study cohort was predicted by carbamazepine monotherapy, low socioeconomic status, history of
status epilepticus or herbal remedy use, and absence of comorbidity or epilepsy-induced injury.