Rights statement: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Epilepsy and Behavior. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Epilepsy and Behavior, 115, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107634
Accepted author manuscript, 1.31 MB, PDF document
Available under license: CC BY-NC-ND: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Review article › peer-review
| Article number | 107634 |
|---|---|
| <mark>Journal publication date</mark> | 1/02/2021 |
| <mark>Journal</mark> | Epilepsy and Behavior |
| Volume | 115 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Publication Status | Published |
| Early online date | 14/12/20 |
| <mark>Original language</mark> | English |
Objective: Late-onset epilepsy (LOE) is closely associated with cerebrovascular disease, acting as both a marker of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and occurring as a direct consequence. Despite this, our understanding of LOE as a cerebrovascular phenomenon is in its infancy. LOE also appears to be a harbinger of dementia. Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify publications relating to LOE and identified observational studies, clinical studies, and radiological studies. Results: A meta-analysis of observational studies demonstrated that patients presenting with LOE experience an increased risk of subsequent stroke (weighted OR 3.88 (95% CI 2.76–5.46)). The additional studies demonstrated clinical and radiological evidence to support the premise that LOE is likely to reflect underlying cerebrovascular disease. Significance: Cerebrovascular disease risk factors convey increased risk of LOE and LOE can precede stroke and dementia, acting as an early marker for cerebrovascular risk. This may represent a potential point for intervention. There are a number of suggested mechanisms relating LOE to stroke; however, there is limited understanding of the natural history of LOE. Current data support the need for prospective research in order to understand the natural history of LOE and modify disease, in order to reduce the apparent sequelae of stroke and dementia.