Citation

Bicalho MA, Sukys-Claudino L, Guarnieri R, Lin K, Walz R. Epilepsy Behav. 2012; 24(2): 216-220.

Affiliation

Centro de Neurociências Aplicadas (CeNAp), Hospital Universitário (HU), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Centro de Epilepsia de Santa Catarina (CEPESC), Hospital Governador Celso Ramos (HGCR), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.04.114

PMID

22572537

Abstract

PURPOSE: To identify variables associated with driving in patients with epilepsy and their association with traffic accidents. METHODS: Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent association between demographic and clinical variables and driving in 144 outpatients with epilepsy. Traffic accidents caused by seizures were also analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients (47.2%) drove after the diagnosis of epilepsy. Among these patients, 67.6% drove in the last 12months, 89% of whom did so in spite of uncontrolled seizures. Driving was independently associated with male sex, higher income, occurrence of simple partial seizures, age at epilepsy onset over 18years and monotherapy treatment. Seventeen patients (only male) had accidents due to seizures, which were independently associated with lower education and age at epilepsy onset over 18years. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of variables associated with driving and traffic accidents may help to minimize risks and improve the quality of life of patients with epilepsy.

Language: en