Clinical risk factors related to post-stroke epilepsy patients in Indonesia: a hospital-based study

Background: Stroke had been accounted to cause almost 50% of epilepsy in the elderly and may lead to poor functional outcomes. Many studies examining the risk factors have been conducted despite showing inconsistent results and currently still difficult to predict the occurrence of post-stroke epilepsy. The study aimed to determine risk factors related to post-stroke epilepsy that influence clinical seizure, electroencephalography (EEG), and functional outcome of patients. Analytic retrospective case–control study was conducted with a total sampling of 62 samples of post-stroke epilepsy and 62 samples of control from all stroke patients in the Neurology Clinic from January 2019 to December 2021. Epilepsy was classified according to the criteria of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in 2017. The relevant demographic and clinical data were collected. Result: The study involved 62 patients in the case group (average age of onset = 57.69; 42 men, 20 women; 51 ischemic stroke, 11 hemorrhagic stroke) and 62 patients in the control group (average age of onset = 56.90; 24 men, 38 women; 52 ischemic stroke, 10 hemorrhagic stroke). We found that 31 patients had focal-to-bilateral seizures, 26 patients had generalized seizures and 5 patients had focal seizures. Men (p = 0.001; OR 3.325) and NIHSS Score (p = 0.027; OR 5.094) had significant correlations with post-stroke epilepsy. Ischemic stroke had a significant correlation (p = 0.008) with seizure onset. Women also had a significant correlation (p = 0.012) with EEG abnormalities. The study found that 59 of 62 post-stroke epilepsy patients had poor functional outcomes (mRS > 2). Conclusion: Our study confirmed that most patients had focal-to-bilateral seizure patterns that occurred in 1–2 years after stroke, and had poor functional outcomes. Men had 3.325 times more likely to develop post-stroke epilepsy than women. Also, NIHSS score ≥ 15 correlated and 5.094 times more likely to develop post-stroke epilepsy. Ischemic stroke had a peak of epilepsy onset at 1–2 years after stroke and women had significant showing abnormalities on EEG recording than men.