ArticleEpilepsia2025
Incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy in New Zealand: A prospective population-wide, 2-year study.
Article in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
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5 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveThis study was undertaken to determine the incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in New Zealand.
methodsWe attempted to prospectively identify all people with epilepsy (PWE) in New Zealand who died from SUDEP after August 1, 2019. Information about the patients' death and epilepsy was recorded in the EpiNet database. Two neurologists (P.S.B. and S.S.) reviewed each case and determined the SUDEP category. The national censuses for 2018 and 2023 were used as the denominator population.
resultsRecords for 440 PWE who died between August 1, 2019 and July 31, 2021 were reviewed. We concluded that 103 people died from definite, definite plus, probable, probable plus, or resuscitated SUDEP (hereafter referred to as SUDEP). Possible SUDEP was diagnosed in 54. The crude incidence of SUDEP was 10.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.7-12.9)/1 million person-years. If the prevalence of active epilepsy in New Zealand was 5.49/1000 people, then the incidence of SUDEP in PWE was 1.93 (95% CI = 1.46-2.55) per 1000 person-years. If possible cases are included, the crude incidence of SUDEP was 16.2 (95% CI = 13.8-18.9) per 1 million person-years, and in PWE was 2.94 (95% CI = 2.23-3.89) per 1000 person-years. Sixty-five patients were male, and 38 were female (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.18-2.63, p = .005). The rate of SUDEP was lower among Asian people living in New Zealand compared with New Zealand European people (IRR = .33, 95% CI = .10-.83, p = .015). There was a trend toward a higher incidence in Māori and Pacific peoples. Employment status was known for 62 people, of whom 23 were unemployed. SIGNIFICANCE: The incidence of SUDEP in New Zealand in PWE (1.93/1000 person-years) is higher than usually reported for high-income countries, although there is uncertainty regarding the prevalence of epilepsy in New Zealand. We suspect the actual incidence of SUDEP worldwide is higher than is usually reported.
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