TUESDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- About 12 million Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime, and lifetime risk approximately doubles from age 50 to age 80, according to research published in the Jan. 4 issue of Neurology.
Dale C. Hesdorffer, Ph.D., of Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues examined lifetime risk and cumulative epilepsy incidence among residents of Rochester, Minn., between 1960 and 1979 to determine the lifetime risk of epilepsy, taking into account the competing risk of death.
In the community, 412 individuals were diagnosed with epilepsy during the study period. The researchers determined the lifetime risk and cumulative incidence to be 1.6 and 1.7 percent up to age 50 and 3 and 3.4 percent to age 80, respectively. From 1960-1969 to 1970-1979, the lifetime risk through age 87 increased from 3.5 to 4.2 percent. The authors concluded that one in 26 people, or 12 million individuals, in the United States will develop epilepsy during their lifetime.
"Lifetime risk provides an estimate of an individual's risk for epilepsy over his or her remaining lifetime, translates into the number of people who are expected to develop epilepsy, and assists health care planners as they estimate service needs for epilepsy," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
