PREDICTORS OF EARLY MORTALITY AND SUDDEN-DEATH IN EPILEPSY - A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

In an attempt to identify any potential risk factors for early mortality in epilepsy, two retrospective studies were conducted utilizing data obtained at the Neuropsychology Laboratory at the University of Washington Epilepsy Center. The first study compared 60 patients with epilepsy who were known to have died with 60 patients who were known to be alive. The variables studied arose from seizure histories and from assessments of neuropsychological functioning, intelligence, emotional status, and psychosocial adjustment. Patients who died had convulsive seizures more frequently than patients who continued to live, and they also demonstrated more denial of problems. In the second study, the deceased patients were divided into groups with known and unknown causes of death. These groups were compared across all of the aforementioned variables, but no significant differences were discovered. Suggestions were offered for future research in this complex area.