Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Original Article

A nationwide multi-center questionnaire survey on the management and treatment of post-stroke seizure and epilepsy in Japan

Kyoko Higashida, M.D.1), Tomotaka Tanaka, M.D.1), Hiroshi Yamagami, M.D., Ph.D.1), Shinya Tomari, M.D.2), Kazuki Fukuma, M.D.1), Yoshinori Okuno, M.D.1), Souichirou Abe, M.D.1), Kazuyuki Nagatsuka, M.D., Ph.D.1), Kazunori Toyoda, M.D., Ph.D.2) and Masafumi Ihara, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Departments of Neurology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center
2)Departments of Cerebrovascular Medicine, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center

Seizures may occur after stroke. Though the majority of clinicians are aware of this, a consensus-based treatment and management strategy for post-stroke seizures is not available because there have only been a few large-scale studies that have explored this. This study has surveyed the actual state of medical treatment for post-stroke seizure and epilepsy in Japan. We conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey of the top 500 institutions regarding the number of cerebral infarction cases between February 2015 and May 2015. The questionnaire contained 14 items regarding the number of patients, type of tests and treatments conducted, and patient response to the treatments. Surveys from 189 institutions were obtained. A history of previous stroke was reported in 41% of hospitalized patients with epilepsy. The sensitivity of diffusion-weighted MRI and electroencephalography was not sufficient to detect the abnormalities seen in epilepsy. Carbamazepine was the most chosen antiepileptic drug for secondary prophylaxis, followed by valproate acid, and levetiracetam.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (429K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 58: 217|222, 2018)
key words: post-stroke epilepsy, seizure, elderly people, antiepileptic drugs, nationwide questionnaire survey

(Received: 4-Dec-17)