Clinical Profile and Determinants of Childhood Epilepsy at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2024/2025
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Date
2025-04-19
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Childhood epilepsy is a significant public health concern globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the burden of childhood epilepsy is intensified by several factors, including a lack of awareness, cultural stigmas, limited healthcare access, and a shortage of specialized medical resources.
Objective: This study assessed the clinical profile and determinants of childhood epilepsy at TASH, a major referral center in Ethiopia.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study with prospective data collection was conducted among infants and children aged 1 month to 18 years diagnosed with epilepsy at a pediatric neurology clinic in TASH.
Result: Generalized epilepsy was the most predominant type (59.8%), followed by focal epilepsy (20.3%), combined generalized and focal epilepsy (6.2%), and unknown types (6.6%); additionally, 7.1% had epilepsy syndromes. Children with comorbid neurological complications were approximately 3.77 times more likely to develop generalized epilepsy compared to those without comorbid neurological complications (AOR = 3.770, 95% CI: 2.057-6.908, p<0.001). Children with a family history of epilepsy were 3.67 times more likely to develop generalized epilepsy compared to those without a family history (AOR = 3.674, 95% 95% CI: 1.26010.716, p=0.017). Similarly, children who experienced perinatal complications had 4.76 times the odds of having generalized epilepsy compared to those without perinatal complications (AOR = 4.756, 95% CI: 1.330-17.011, p=0.016).
Conclusion: Generalized epilepsy is the most common type. Comorbid neurologic complications, family history, perinatal complications, and infections significantly increase the likelihood of generalized epilepsy. Developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and neurobehavioral issues are common comorbidities
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Comorbid neurologic complications