2025 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

We aimed to explore mortality patterns due to epilepsy in the USA from 1999-2020 while using age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) to identify vulnerable strata and geographic hotspots for mortality.

Background:

Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by repeated seizures. A seizure represents uncontrolled, abnormal electrical activity of the brain that may cause changes in the level of consciousness, behavior and memory.

Design/Methods:

We assessed epilepsy related mortality data obtained from CDC WONDER (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide Ranging Online Data for Epidemiological Research) Database from 1999 to 2020. AAMR per 1,000,000 individuals was obtained, and annual percent changes (APC) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were calculated using the Joinpoint regression program. The test for parallelism was deemed significant for p<0.05, indicating non-parallel trends. Sociodemographic data, including age, sex, race, place of death, urban/rural, state, and consensus region were collated to conduct a comprehensive analysis.

Results:

57,304 mortalities due to epilepsy were reported between 1999-2020 with an AAMR value of 8.11 (95% CI: 8.06-8.18). Overall AAMR showed a consistent upward trajectory from 1999-2020 with the most significant increase occurring between 2010 and 2020. Males reported higher mortality as compared to females with a major increase reported from 2010 to 2020. Persistently greater mortality rates were discerned in Whites majorly from 2010 to 2020 (APC: 10.50). Furthermore, the 65-74 years old age group and large central metropolitan populations reported higher mortality.

Conclusions:

Our study revealed an upward trend in mortality rates due to epilepsy in the United States from 1999 to 2020. Notable and consistent disparities in mortality rates were observed across gender, race, age groups and urbanization underscoring the need for more research and targeted interventions.