Liu X, et al. - Researchers determined the potential risk factors associated with seizure recurrence in different periods after epilepsy surgery. In this study, observations reconfirmed the well-known risk factors associated with seizure recurrence. The controversial variables were also identified. Furthermore, it was observed that in different periods after epilepsy surgery, the risk factors associated with seizure recurrence were different.

Methods

• Researchers included 303 refractory epilepsy patients after epilepsy surgery.
• In order to calculate the comparison of survival curves between groups and identify the risk factors associated with seizure recurrence in different periods after surgery, they performed Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.

Results

• Researchers determined the significant predictors of seizure recurrence; these included duration of epilepsy (p=0.018), seizure types (p=0.009), MRI findings (p=0.007), intracranial EEG recordings (p=0.002), sides of epileptogenic zone (p=0.025), and types of surgery (p=0.002).
• In addition, they included the significant predictors of seizure recurrence within 12 months after surgery, such as gender (p=0.007), duration of epilepsy (p=0.013), intracranial EEG recordings (p=0.003), and types of surgery (p < 0.001).
• Seizure recurrence in 12-36 months after surgery was observed to have a significant association with the variables of MRI findings (p=0.015), sides of epileptogenic zone (p=0.004), and seizure-relapse within 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001) .
• Seizure recurrence above 36 months after surgery was observed in association with seizure-relapse within 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001).