The value of anti-epileptic therapy as a prophylactic factor for seizures in the management of moderate traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Aim: The value of anti-epileptic therapy in the prophylaxis of post-traumatic seizures. Patients & methods: All patients received a standard anti-epileptic drug (AED) and were divided into two groups: Group A -with early AED and Group B -with late AED. Results: Patients (871/1062) met the inclusion criteria. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that computer tomography findings, headache and prior history of brain head injury were independent risk factors of seizures. Only late post-traumatic seizures (LPTS) was significantly associated with AED (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Early treatment with AED seems to not affect the incidence of lPTS. In addition, an AED with a mean time of initiation of 7.5 days from the moderate traumatic brain injury occurrence could reduce the lPTS incidence. Lay abstract The aim was to study the role of anti-epileptic drugs (AED) as a prophylactic factor for post-traumatic seizures. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (with early AED). And Group B (with late AED). AED with a mean time of initiation of 7.5 days from the moderate traumatic brain injury occurrence could reduce the late post-traumatic seizure (lPTS) incidence. We believe that an association between the lPTS and AED exists. Both history of brain operation or traumatic brain injury and computer tomography findings like traumatic focal hemorrhagic contusions (temporal), were independent risk factors of lPTS.