DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i03.014

Pages: 923-930

A seizure is a paroxysmal event due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain and can cause characteristic changes in electroencephalogram (EEG), likewise it can cause changes in cardiac microstructure and can cause changes in ECG and ECHO. We have taken 120 non-diabetic seizure patients (case) and 62 non-diabetic patients without seizure (control) for this study randomly and standard 12 lead Electrocardiograms and a Echocardiographic (2D and M-MODE) examination performed in all of them in interictal period. Case (85 males and 35 females) and control (44 males and 18 females) had a mean age of 39.06±1.86 and 36.74±2.15 years; respectively. These two populations were also matched with respect to these following parameters (Height (m), Weight (kg), BMI (kg/m2), and resting systolic and diastolic pressure (mm of Hg)). In univariate analysis, seizure patients (compared to controls) had significantly lower means or PR interval (146.0±1.49 vs 151.2±1.94 msec; p=0.0415), QT interval (361.2±2.51 vs 372.9±1.76 msec; p=0.0019), QTc interval (422.5±3.14 vs 439.2±2.35 msec; p=0.0005), Ejection fraction (EF) (63.51±0.62 vs 65.59±0.58%; p=0.0306),Fractional Shortening (FS) (34.65±0.43 vs 24±0.42%; p=0.0168).Only 18 cases and 2 controls presented with sinus tachycardia and 4 cases presented with sinus bradycardia when ECG and ECHO was done and none of the cases and controls showed any other tachy or bradyarrhythmias. Among 94 patients of GTCS 5(5.31%) died while death was significantly higher in Status Epilepticus 2(66.67%) out of 3 patients. Patients with epilepsy may be predisposed to disturbances of autonomic functions with subsequent cardiac arrhythmias due to effects of recurrent seizures on cardiac microstructure. So, in all seizure patients ECG and ECHO to be done. Further work is needed to stratify the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) on the basis of interictal autonomic parameters to improve prognosis. The authors declare th