Epilepsy classification (ILAE Classification 2017) in resource-limited countries: A cross-sectional study on epilepsy in pediatric patients from Sudan

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study is to utilize the ILAE 2017 to classify epilepsy patients and determine its applicability in Sudan.

Methods: This study is a prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional research conducted in two pediatric epilepsy clinics in Khartoum State, Sudan.

Results: In this cross-sectional study, 350 pediatric patients with epilepsy were included, with a mean age of 8.4 ± 4.7 years and a mean illness duration of 4.71 ± 3.91 years. The ILAE classification was applied, showing that 71.11% of patients had generalized onset seizures, 27.7% had focal onset seizures, and only 1.1% had unknown onset seizures. Among patients with focal onset seizures, 56.4% had intact awareness, while 43.6% had impaired levels of awareness. The majority of patients who had generalized onset seizures experienced motor onset seizures, with tonic-clonic seizures being the most common (44.2%). Nearly all patients with unknown onset seizures experienced tonic-clonic convulsions. These findings provide insights into the prevalence and types of seizures among pediatric epilepsy patients in Sudan and can guide clinicians in developing appropriate treatment plans.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of utilizing the latest ILAE classification 2017 in epilepsy classification and its potential utilization in resource-limited areas like Sudan.