|
 For the study, researchers followed 23,663 adults with epilepsy for
an average of 7.5 years. Overall, the mortality rate during the
study was 7.2% - but it ranged from a low of 2.8% for patients seen
by neurologists specializing in epilepsy, to 5.6% for patients who
saw general neurologists, to a high of 9.4% for people who didn't
see neurologists all.
"Adequate access to specialized care is increasingly recognized as
associated with improved outcomes, not only in terms of seizure
control and quality of life, but as we have demonstrated in this
paper because of the association with decreased mortality," said
Mark Lowerison, lead author of the study and a researcher at the
Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary in Canada.
"When compared to non-neurologist, or general neurologist care,
epilepsy specialists would tend to have deeper knowledge of
epilepsy, common epilepsy comorbidities, and epilepsy management
practices," Lowerison said by email.
Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that is commonly caused by genetics,
brain injuries or a stroke. About two-thirds of patients with
epilepsy can control seizures with medicine, and about two-thirds of
people who don't get relief from drugs respond to surgical
treatment, researchers note in JAMA Neurology.
Despite these treatment options, people with epilepsy have mortality
rates up to three times as high as individuals without the
neurological disorder, the study team writes.
[to top of second column] |
In the study, people who saw neurologists or neurologists
specializing in epilepsy were younger than patients who didn't, and
they were also healthier and had less severe symptoms. Patients who
saw epilepsy specialists were 43 years old on average, compared to
48 for people who saw general neurologists and 54 for people who saw
non-neurologists.
After accounting for factors that can impact longevity like age,
sex, and symptom severity, people who saw epilepsy specialists were
51% less likely to die during the study than patients who saw
non-neurologists. And people who saw general neurologists were 15%
less likely to die.
The study wasn't designed to prove that patients' doctors directly
impacted their survival odds.
Researchers also relied on administrative claims data and records
from health registries, so it's possible they lacked data on patient
characteristics that might influence survival.
"We speculate that epilepsy specialists would have more experience
dealing with patients with epilepsy that is difficult or highly
resistant to drugs," Lowerison said. "We also speculate that
epilepsy specialists would have more familiarity with all of the
avenues of care available."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2yH3RcZ JAMA Neurology, online August 5, 2019.
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
