• Symon M Kariuki, Angelina Kakooza-Mwesige, Ryan G Wagner, Eddie Chengo, Steven White, Gathoni Kamuyu, Anthony K Ngugi, Josemir W Sander, Brian G R Neville, Charles R J Newton, and SEEDS Writing Group.
• From Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (S.M.K., E.C., G.K., A.K.N., C.R.J.N.), Kilifi, Kenya; Nuffield Department of Medicine (S.M.K.), University of Oxford, UK; Studies of Epidemiology of Epilepsy in Demographic Surveillance Systems (SEEDS)-INDEPTH Network (A.K.-M., R.G.W., E.C., G.K., A.K.N., C.R.J.N.), Accra, Ghana; Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance System (A.K.-M.), Iganga; the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health (A.K.-M.), Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda; MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) (R.G.W.), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Epidemiology and Global Health (R.G.W.), Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden; the Neurophysiology Department (S.W.), Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London; the Neurosciences Unit (B.G.R.N., C.R.J.N.), UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Population Health Sciences/Research Support Unit (A.K.N.), Faculty of Health Sciences, Aga Khan University (East Africa), Nairobi, Kenya; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre (J.W.S.), UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London; Epilepsy Society (J.W.S.), Bucks, UK; Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland-SEIN (J.W.S.), Heemstede, Netherlands; Clinical Research Unit (C.R.J.N.), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; and the Department of Psychiatry (C.R.J.N.), University of Oxford, UK. skariuki@kemri-wellcome.org.
• Neurology. 2015 May 5; 84 (18): 1838-45.

ObjectiveWe conducted a community survey to estimate the prevalence and describe the features, risk factors, and consequences of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) among people with active convulsive epilepsy (ACE) identified in a multisite survey in Africa.MethodsWe obtained clinical histories of CSE and neurologic examination data among 1,196 people with ACE identified from a population of 379,166 people in 3 sites: Agincourt, South Africa; Iganga-Mayuge, Uganda; and Kilifi, Kenya. We performed serologic assessment for the presence of antibodies to parasitic infections and HIV and determined adherence to antiepileptic drugs. Consequences of CSE were assessed using a questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors.ResultsThe adjusted prevalence of CSE in ACE among the general population across the 3 sites was 2.3 per 1,000, and differed with site (p < 0.0001). Over half (55%) of CSE occurred in febrile illnesses and focal seizures were present in 61%. Risk factors for CSE in ACE were neurologic impairments, acute encephalopathy, previous hospitalization, and presence of antibody titers to falciparum malaria and HIV; these differed across sites. Burns (15%), lack of education (49%), being single (77%), and unemployment (78%) were common in CSE; these differed across the 3 sites. Nine percent with and 10% without CSE died.ConclusionsCSE is common in people with ACE in Africa; most occurs with febrile illnesses, is untreated, and has focal features suggesting preventable risk factors. Effective prevention and the management of infections and neurologic impairments may reduce the burden of CSE in ACE.© 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

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