Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41235461›Full record

ArticleEpilepsia open2026

Cardiovascular morbidity following epilepsy: A nationwide retrospective cohort study in South Korea.

Youngoh Bae, Chaeyoon Kang, Yejin Lee, Haerim Cho, Hohyun Jung, Seung Won Lee

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epilepsia open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Youngoh BaeDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-1226-1414
Chaeyoon KangSungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0008-2680-2526
Yejin LeeDongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0000-6853-8702
Haerim ChoSungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0009-0004-2947-7192
Hohyun JungDepartment of Statistics, Sungshin Women's University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-8460-5933
Seung Won LeeDepartment of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0001-5632-5208

Funding

Ministry of Education BK21National Research Foundation of Korea NRF [2021-R1-I1A2(059735)]National Research Foundation of Korea RS [2019-II19(0421)]National Research Foundation of Korea RS [2024-0040(5650)]National Research Foundation of Korea RS [2024-0044(0881)]National Research Foundation of Korea RS [2024-0045(5553)]Sungkyunkwan University
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study evaluated the long-term risk of major cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in patients with epilepsy using a nationwide cohort, aiming to address critical gaps in population-based evidence on brain-heart interactions.

methodsData from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (2002-2013) were analyzed. For each cardiovascular outcome, an independent matched cohort was constructed, comprising 1740 to 3164 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy and corresponding 10-fold matched controls. The primary outcomes included six CVDs: hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD), cardiac arrhythmia (CA), heart failure (HF), atherosclerosis (AS), and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated using multivariable Cox regression models.

resultsEpilepsy was significantly associated with increased risk of all six CVDs. The highest aHRs were observed for CA (2.02 [95% CI, 1.70-2.39]), IHD (1.71 [95% CI, 1.50-1.95]), and HF (1.64 [95% CI, 1.28-2.10]). Risk was higher in patients aged <60 years and in men. Notably, younger patients showed substantially elevated risks for CA (2.61 [95% CI, 1.99-3.42]) and AS (2.06 [95% CI, 1.47-2.89]). The sex-specific difference was most prominent for HF, with higher aHRs in men (1.86 [95% CI, 1.29-2.67]) than in women (1.49 [95% CI, 1.07-2.09]). SIGNIFICANCE: Patients with epilepsy have a significantly increased long-term risk of CVD, especially CA, IHD, and HF. Risk is disproportionately elevated in younger individuals and men, suggesting the need for targeted cardiovascular surveillance and prevention in these subgroups. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: People with epilepsy may face a higher risk of heart and blood vessel diseases such as heart attack, irregular heartbeat, and heart failure. This study analyzed national health data from Korea and found that epilepsy patients had more cardiovascular problems than those without epilepsy, especially younger men. These results suggest that doctors should monitor heart health more closely in people living with epilepsy.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular DiseasesEpilepsyAdolescentAdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRepublic of KoreaRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsYoung Adultcardiovascular diseasesepilepsyrisk factorsSouth Korea

Identifiers

PMID41235461
PMCPMC12903816

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.