Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42321665›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2026

Post-stroke epilepsy in Saudi Arabia - frequency, management and outcomes at a comprehensive stroke center in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Meshari S AlSudayri, Moath S AlMosa, Sultan AlShehri, Ziyad AlGhweinem, Naif H Ali, Ramesh Vishwakarma, Ismail A Khatri

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Article in BMC neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Meshari S AlSudayriDepartment of Neuroscience, Epilepsy Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2548-9223
Moath S AlMosaDepartment of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, MNGHA, PO Box 22490, Mail Code 1443, Riyadh, 11426, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Sultan AlShehriDepartment of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, MNGHA, PO Box 22490, Mail Code 1443, Riyadh, 11426, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Ziyad AlGhweinemDepartment of Neurology, Neuroscience Centre, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3355-9121
Naif H AliDepartment of Internal Medicine, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
Ramesh VishwakarmaNorwich Clinical Trial Unit, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2458-2802
Ismail A KhatriDepartment of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, MNGHA, PO Box 22490, Mail Code 1443, Riyadh, 11426, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ismailkhatri@yahoo.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0218-1840

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundApproximately 5% to 7% of patients with stroke develop post-stroke epilepsy (PSE). There is limited published literature about frequency, characteristics and outcomes of post-stroke epilepsy in Saudi population.

objectivesWe determined the frequency, management and outcomes of post-stroke epilepsy in a Saudi cohort.

methodsAfter IRB approval, a retrospective chart-review was performed on patients admitted with stroke at King Abdulaziz Medical City, MNGHA, Riyadh between January 2016 and December 2020. PSE was defined as one or more seizures after the 7th day of incident stroke. The diagnosis was clinical, EEG was not required to make the diagnosis of PSE. Data was collected about demographic features, stroke characteristics, epilepsy management and outcomes. Data was analyzed using RStudio (R version 4.3.1.). Consecutive, nonrandom sampling technique was used and all patients were included from the study period.

resultsA total of 2985 patients were included, of whom 2596 (87.0%) had ischemic stroke, 389 (13.0%) had hemorrhagic stroke. PSE occurred in 164 (5.49%) patients. The median age was 66.0 years (IQR:55.5-76.5), 102 (62.2%) were men, and 157 (95.7%) were Saudis. In ischemic group, 129 (4.97%) had PSE, whereas 35 (8.99%) in hemorrhagic group (p = 0.001). The commonest type of seizures was generalized in 96 (58.5%), focal in 45 (27.4%), unclassified in 23 (14.0%). Twenty-six (16%) patients had status epilepticus. Epileptiform abnormalities were seen in 16 (9.8%) on electroencephalogram. Treatment was started in 151 (93.8%) after first seizure, levetiracetam was commonest 1st antiseizure medication (ASM) used in 133 (82.6%). Side effects were reported in 11 (6.9%) patients; behavioral changes in 9 (5.5%), irritability in 6 (3.7%) patients. Nineteen (11.8%) patients needed 2nd ASM, 10 (6.1%) needed 3rd ASM. Median (IQR) follow-up was 26.0 (13.0-48.0) months. At last follow up, 120 (87%) were seizure free.

conclusionsPost-stroke epilepsy was common in our cohort. The patients with hemorrhagic stroke were more likely to have post-stroke epilepsy compared to ischemic stroke. Generalized seizures were the commonest type of seizure. Most patients had good control at last follow up requiring only monotherapy.

Indexed as

EpilepsyStrokeAgedAnticonvulsantsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSaudi ArabiaTreatment OutcomeAnticonvulsantsFrequency, managementOutcomePost-stroke epilepsySaudi Arabia

Identifiers

PMID42321665
PMCPMC13430873

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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.