Abstract Purpose: Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are more frequent in people with epilepsy than in general population. The explanation of that may be the change in biochemical components due to anti-epileptic drugs. We conducted this study to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and risk factors in adults with epilepsy emphasizing on respective anti-epileptic drugs patients were using.
Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from December 2018 to December 2019 in patients with epilepsy aged 18-60 years old who were on anti-epileptic drugs for at least two years. 1076 adult patients with epilepsy were selected to participate in this study. Participants were anthropometrically examined and fasting blood glucose and lipids were assayed. The study was conducted at Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital-CARAES Ndera in Rwanda.
Results: The final participant pool included 669 males, 58.5% and 447 females, 41.5%. The mean age of participants was 40.22±10.37 that of males was 40.20.04±10.34 and of females was 40.24.04±10.42. Using ATP III criteria, the crude prevalence of metabolic syndrome in people with epilepsy was 30.6% (329 subjects) and patients without metabolic syndrome were 747 (69.4%). Use of valproic acid (p=0.007), sedentary lifestyle (p=0.025), waist circumference>102cm (p=0.001), high triglycerides (p=0.001), high blood pressure (p=0.001), and fasting blood glucose >6.1mmol (p=0.001) were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome.
Conclusion: The MetS is highly prevalent among patients with epilepsy
Keywords Metabolic syndrome, epilepsy, prevalence.