J Korean Med Sci.  2015 Jun;30(6):694-699. 10.3346/jkms.2015.30.6.694.

Clinical Features of Seizures in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurology, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
  • 2Department of Infectious Diseases, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. hyoungsshin@gmail.com

Abstract

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have a higher burden of seizures, but few studies have examined seizures in HIV-infected individuals in Korea. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of seizures in patients with HIV infection. Among a total of 1,141 patients, 34 (3%) had seizures or epilepsy; 4 of these individuals had epilepsy before HIV infection, and the others showed new-onset seizures. Most patients exhibited moderate (200 to 500, n = 13) or low (below 200, n = 16) CD4 counts. The most common seizure etiology was progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (n = 14), followed by other HIV-associated central nervous system (CNS) complications (n = 6). Imaging studies revealed brain lesions in 21 patients. A total of 9 patients experienced only one seizure during the follow-up period, and 25 patients experienced multiple seizures or status epilepticus (n = 2). Multiple seizures were more common in patients with brain etiologies (P = 0.019) or epileptiform discharges on EEG (P = 0.032). Most seizures were controlled without anticonvulsants (n = 12) or with a single anticonvulsant (n = 12). Among patients with HIV infection, seizures are significantly more prevalent than in the general population. Most seizures, with the exception of status epilepticus, have a benign clinical course and few complications.

Keyword

HIV; Seizures; Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use
Causality
Comorbidity
Electroencephalography/*statistics & numerical data
Female
HIV Infections/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Humans
Incidence
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Seizures/*diagnosis/*epidemiology/prevention & control
Treatment Outcome
Anticonvulsants

Reference

1. Mateen FJ, Shinohara RT, Carone M, Miller EN, McArthur JC, Jacobson LP, Sacktor N. Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) Investigators. Neurologic disorders incidence in HIV+ vs HIV- men: Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, 1996-2011. Neurology. 2012; 79:1873–1880.
2. Kellinghaus C, Engbring C, Kovac S, Möddel G, Boesebeck F, Fischera M, Anneken K, Klönne K, Reichelt D, Evers S, et al. Frequency of seizures and epilepsy in neurological HIV-infected patients. Seizure. 2008; 17:27–33.
3. Satishchandra P, Sinha S. Seizures in HIV-seropositive individuals: NIMHANS experience and review. Epilepsia. 2008; 49:33–41.
4. D'Silva M, Leibowitz D, Flaherty JP. Seizure associated with zidovudine. Lancet. 1995; 346:452.
5. Barton TL, Roush MK, Dever LL. Seizures associated with ganciclovir therapy. Pharmacotherapy. 1992; 12:413–415.
6. Van Paesschen W, Bodian C, Maker H. Metabolic abnormalities and new-onset seizures in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients. Epilepsia. 1995; 36:146–150.
7. Wong MC, Suite ND, Labar DR. Seizures in human immunodeficiency virus infection. Arch Neurol. 1990; 47:640–642.
8. Samia P, Petersen R, Walker KG, Eley B, Wilmshurst JM. Prevalence of seizures in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus. J Child Neurol. 2013; 28:297–302.
9. Chadha DS, Handa A, Sharma SK, Varadarajulu P, Singh AP. Seizures in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Assoc Physicians India. 2000; 48:573–576.
10. Holtzman DM, Kaku DA, So YT. New-onset seizures associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection: causation and clinical features in 100 cases. Am J Med. 1989; 87:173–177.
11. Dore GJ, Law MG, Brew BJ. Prospective analysis of seizures occurring in human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infection. J NeuroAIDS. 1996; 1:59–69.
12. Pascual-Sedano B, Iranzo A, Marti-Fàbregas J, Domingo P, Escartin A, Fuster M, Barrio JL, Sambeat MA. Prospective study of new-onset seizures in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection: etiologic and clinical aspects. Arch Neurol. 1999; 56:609–612.
13. Ahn BM, Lee KM, Na DK, Shin YH, Jung SW, Lee J. A case of acute human immunodeficiency virus syndrome manifesting as seizure. Infect Chemother. 2010; 42:57–60.
14. Berg AT, Berkovic SF, Brodie MJ, Buchhalter J, Cross JH, van Emde, Engel J, French J, Glauser TA, Mathern GW, et al. Revised terminology and concepts for organization of seizures and epilepsies: report of the ILAE Commission on Classification and Terminology, 2005-2009. Epilepsia. 2010; 51:676–685.
15. Beghi E, Carpio A, Forsgren L, Hesdorffer DC, Malmgren K, Sander JW, Tomson T, Hauser WA. Recommendation for a definition of acute symptomatic seizure. Epilepsia. 2010; 51:671–675.
16. Lowenstein DH, Bleck T, Macdonald RL. It's time to revise the definition of status epilepticus. Epilepsia. 1999; 40:120–122.
17. Lee SY, Jung KY, Lee IK, Yi SD, Cho YW, Kim DW, Hwang SS, Kim S. Korean Epilepsy Society. Prevalence of treated epilepsy in Korea based on national health insurance data. J Korean Med Sci. 2012; 27:285–290.
18. Levy RM, Bredesen DE. Central nervous system dysfunction in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1988; 1:41–64.
19. Modi G, Modi M, Martinus I, Saffer D. New-onset seizures associated with HIV infection. Neurology. 2000; 55:1558–1561.
20. Bartolomei F, Pellegrino P, Dhiver C, Quilichini R, Gastaut JA, Gastaut JL. Epilepsy seizures in HIV infection. 52 cases. Presse Med. 1991; 20:2135–2138.
21. Nam TS, Seo KS, Lee KI, Kim YS, Hong JH, Kim GH, Jeong JH, Chu HJ, Park SK, Seoung NH, et al. The clinical study of hematoimmunologic features and opportunistic infections of patients with AIDS. Korean J Med. 1997; 52:15–23.
22. Choe KW, Oh MD, Park SW, Kim HB, Kim US, Kang SW, Choi HJ, Shin DH. Opportunistic infections and malignancies in 173 patients with HIV infection. Korean J Infect Dis. 1998; 30:507–515.
23. Moulignier A, Mikol J, Pialoux G, Fénelon G, Gray F, Thiebaut JB. AIDS-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy revealed by new-onset seizures. Am J Med. 1995; 99:64–68.
24. Lima MA, Drislane FW, Koralnik IJ. Seizures and their outcome in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Neurology. 2006; 66:262–264.
25. Modi M, Mochan A, Modi G. New onset seizures in HIV--seizure semiology, CD4 counts, and viral loads. Epilepsia. 2009; 50:1266–1269.
26. Lee KC, Garcia PA, Alldredge BK. Clinical features of status epilepticus in patients with HIV infection. Neurology. 2005; 65:314–316.
27. Shorvon S. The antiepileptic drugs: Levetiracetam. In : Shorvon SD, editor. Handbook of epilepsy treatment. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell;2010. p. 201.
28. Birbeck GL, French JA, Perucca E, Simpson DM, Fraimow H, George JM, Okulicz JF, Clifford DB, Hachad H, Levy RH, et al. Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Ad Hoc Task Force of the Commission on Therapeutic Strategies of the International League Against Epilepsy. Evidence-based guideline: Antiepileptic drug selection for people with HIV/AIDS: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Ad Hoc Task Force of the Commission on Therapeutic Strategies of the International League Against Epilepsy. Neurology. 2012; 78:139–145.
29. Kim LG, Johnson TL, Marson AG, Chadwick DW;. MRC MESS Study group. Prediction of risk of seizure recurrence after a single seizure and early epilepsy: further results from the MESS trial. Lancet Neurol. 2006; 5:317–322.
30. Fisher RS, Acevedo C, Arzimanoglou A, Bogacz A, Cross JH, Elger CE, Engel J Jr, Forsgren L, French JA, Glynn M, et al. ILAE official report: a practical clinical definition of epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2014; 55:475–482.
Full Text Links
  • JKMS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr