NEUROPSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITIES OF EPILEPSY AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC FEATURES AMONG CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY IN KILIFI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Epilepsy is a serious brain and commonly co-occurs with mental disorders. This study aimed at assessing the association between electroencephalographic features and neuropsychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy and underlying their risk factors, including electroencephalographic features. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess for evidence on the association of electroencephalographic features and mental health problems in epilepsy. Empirical data from 7,047 children aged 1-6 years in Kilifi County, Kenya were analyzed. This analysis estimated the prevalence of epilepsy, the association of epilepsy with mental health problems, the underlying risk factors and electroencephalographic features for the comorbidity. The pooled estimates showed that the prevalence of mental health problems was significantly higher in epilepsy with electroencephalographic abnormalities (41.5%) compared to epilepsy without electroencephalographic abnormalities (27.591%). In the empirical data analysis, the prevalence of epilepsy was 12.19 per 1,000 children (95%CI: 9.29-15.63). Some of the risk factors for epilepsy after adjusting for age and sex included family history of seizures (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =5.56; 95%CI: 2.3-12.94), head injury (aOR=5.97; 95%CI: 1.32-26.93), eating soil (aOR=4.07; 95%CI: 1.75- 9.44) and snoring at night (aOR=4.74; 95%CI: 2.23-10.09). Epilepsy was significantly associated with CBCL total scores (β =4.10; 95%CI: 3.11-5.10, p < 0.001). Factors associated with total problems comorbidity included eating soil (β = 0.72, 95%CI 0.12-1.32, p= 0.021), and deceased father (β =-1.73; 95%CI -2.74, -0.72, p = 0.002). Mental health problems are associated with epilepsy.