Multiple sclerosis and epileptic seizures

Abstract

Background: The association between epilepsy and multiple sclerosis (MS) is not a coincidence. Objective: Our objective was to compare MS patients with or without history of seizures. Methods: In a population of 5041 MS patients, we identified 102 (2%) patients with epileptic seizures. In 67 patients (1.3%), epileptic seizure could not be explained by any cause other than MS. Results: In these 67 patients, the median age at occurrence of the first epileptic seizure was 33 years. Epilepsy was the initial clinical manifestation of MS in seven patients. In total, 62 patients (92.5%) presented only one or a few seizures, and 18 patients (27%) presented at least one episode of status epilepticus, fatal in two. Compared with MS patients without epilepsy, there was no difference in gender, type of MS course and time from onset of MS to the progressive phase. Conversely, the median age at MS onset was earlier (25.0 years vs. 30, p < 0.0001) and there was a trend for a shorter time from MS onset to non-reversible disability. Conclusions: Our study confirms an increased risk of epileptic seizures in MS patients. It underlines that seizures may be the first observable symptom in MS and the frequency and seriousness of status epilepticus.