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Advanced Neurology Seizure precipitants

to neurological impairments such as aphasia and cognitive Table 1. Socio‑demographic characteristics of respondents
impairment were excluded from the study.
Variable Categories Frequency (%)
3.2. Sample size and sampling technique Sex Male 101 (54.9)

The sample size was determined using a single population Female 83 (45.1)
proportion formula, assuming a proportion of precipitating Age (in years) <19 41 (22.3)
12
factor of 87.6% in a previous study with a 95% confidence 20 – 29 62 (33.7)
level (CI). All consecutive epilepsy patients coming to the 30 – 39 40 (21.7)
seizure follow-up clinic for their regular follow-up during 40 – 49 21 (11.4)
the study period were interviewed until the desired sample >50 20 (10.9%)
size was reached (n = 184).
Address Addis Ababa 150 (81.9)
3.3. Data processing and analysis Out of Addis Ababa 33 (18.1)
Data were collected using an interviewer-administered Religion Orthodox 132 (71.7)
pre-tested tool and chart review. Information on patients’ Muslim 30 (16.3)
socio-demographic, disease-related characteristics, Protestant 22 (12.0)
precipitating factors, and relevant medical data, such as Marital status Single 112 (60.9)
types of epilepsy, pattern of seizure control, duration of Married 61 (33.2)
ASM treatment, and seizure frequency, was extracted from Divorced 7 (3.8)
their individual clinical records using a checklist. Interns
and residents were recruited as data collectors. Widowed 4 (2.2)
Occupation Agriculture 4 (2.2)
To maintain the data quality, a validated pre-tested tool Housewife 13 (7.1)
was used, and data completeness was ascertained by the
principal investigator at each step of the data collection and Government employee 32 (17.4)
was checked during entry into the computer. Data collected Retired 2 (1.1)
was cleaned and entered into the Statistical Package for Student 52 (28.3)
the Social Sciences version 23 (IBM, USA) for analysis. Business 40 (21.7)
Descriptive statistics were generated to describe the socio- Unemployed 25 (13.6)
demographic and other important variables. p<0.05 was Others 16 (8.7)
used as an appropriate level for statistical significance. Estimated monthly < 500 30 (16.3)
income (ETB )
a
4. Results
500 – 1000 34 (18.5)
4.1. Socio-demographic characteristics 1000 – 2000 34 (18.5)
Of the total 184 PWEs, 101 were male (54.9%) and 83 2000 – 4000 39 (21.2)
were female (45.1%), with a median age of 30.8 years. > 4000 32 (17.4)
The mean age of the males (31.5 years) was higher than Note: Ethiopian Birr (1 USD equivalent to 27 – 30 ETB at the time of
a
that of the females (29.9 years). Most of the PWEs were in the study). A possible explanation for the inconsistency in reported
the age group of 20 – 29 years (62%) and originated from monthly income is the inclusion of patients without income.
Addis Ababa (81.9%). About two-thirds of them (60.9%)
were single, and slightly above a quarter (28.3%) were episode in the past 2 years was 15.2%, 12.0%, and 85.3%,
students. Less than a quarter earned about 2,000 – 4,000 respectively. Over half (58.7%) were on monotherapy, and
ETB (Table 1). 41.3% were on polytherapy. About two-thirds (64.1%) had
generalized seizure-type epilepsy (Table 2).
4.2. Clinical characteristics
The mean age of seizure onset, diagnosis, and duration 4.3. Precipitating factors
of the illness was 21.4, 22.8, and 9.9 years, respectively. Figure 1 shows 26 types of precipitating factors reported
About two-thirds of the PWEs (62.5%) had been living by the respondents. Eleven PWEs (6%) did not mention
with the illness for 0.5 – 10 years. There was a mean age any seizure precipitant. The majority (94.0%) reported at
difference of 0.8 years between age at seizure onset and age least one seizure-precipitating factor, while 77.7% claimed
at diagnosis. The percentage of PWEs who had a history two or more precipitating factors. The mean number of
of febrile seizure, family history of epilepsy, and seizure precipitants reported was 3.82 (range: 1 – 13).

Volume 4 Issue 4 (2025) 60 doi: 10.36922/an.7679