Etiology of the epileptic seizures in Recife City, Brazil:: study of 249 patients

The etiological causes of the epileptic seizures presenting by 249 patients were studied, in a neurological clinic in Recife City, Brazil. The cause of the seizure was not identified in 43.0% of the patients. As suspected causal factors we found: ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD, 17.3%), cysticercosis (8.8%), head trauma (HT, 6.8%), brain tumors (6.8%), hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease (HCVD, 4.8%), vascular malformation (3.6%), other causes (8.4%). In the patients with age less than 15-year-old, the most frequent cause was cysticercosis (10.3%), following vascular malformation (5.1%), and ICVD (5.1%). In the group between 15 and 45 years of age the major cause of seizure was cysticercosis ( 11.6%), following HT (10.7%), ICVD (4.5%), and brain tumors (3.6%). On the other hand, in the patients with more than 45-year-old the main cause was ICVD (36.7%), following brain tumors (12.3%), HCVD (11.2%), and cysticercosis (5.1%). In conclusion, cerebrovascular disease was the most prevalent cause of epileptic seizures, considering all groups of patients. Although, cysticercosis was main cause found in the patients with less than 45 years of age.