Mobility Disturbance in Epileptic Patients

Abstract

Abstract Background On a global basis, epilepsy continues to cause a large burden of disease, and the treatment gap for this condition remains unfortunately and surprisingly large. More than 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological diseases globally. Nearly 80% of people with epilepsy live in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). Aim of the Work The aim of this study is to assess the relation between epilepsy and balance or mobility alterations, and to establish risk factors for their development. Patients and Methods This is a case control study, were 100 individuals, 25 of which are healthy, and 75 patients diagnosed with epilepsy recruited from Neurology outpatient clinic of Ain Shams University, and Neurology out-patient clinic of Misr University for science and technology, which were then evaluated for mobility and balance using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT). Self- reported confidence in balance was assessed using the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC). Results Age and gender of patients, age of onset of epilepsy, type of seizures, and number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were insignificantly different among the studied groups. However, regarding the duration and frequency of epilepsy, a distinct pattern was revealed. Interestingly, it was also found that seizures-controlled patients and those on newer generation of antiepileptics had better balance functioning and less the risk for falls when compared to other patients. All individuals had no significant findings in their neuroimaging results. A significant difference in the proportion of abnormal EEG results among studied groups. Conclusion Epilepsy is a the most common chronic brain disease affecting all age groups. It was found that balance and mobility are impacted in PWE, either due to the nature of epilepsy or the antiepileptic used, exposing such patients to a high risk for falls and subsequently serious injuries. TMT, ABC, and TUG tests were found to be effective in evaluating balance and mobility and hence assess the risk for falls in these patients.