Ecg Abnormalities and Associated Factors Among Adult Epilepsy Patients at Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma, Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a disease condition in which a person has recurrent seizures due to a chronic, underlying process. It affects approximately 50 million people worldwide and 4 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa. ECG abnormalities are one of the commonest comorbidities in epilepsy patients that increase mortality and morbidity of epilepsy patients. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate ECG abnormalities and associated factors among adult epileptic patients having follow-up at JUMC adult seizure clinic in 2021G.C. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on Patients presenting to adult seizure clinic at JUMC from November 1- January 30 2021 G.C. A standard 12 lead resting ECG was recorded for participants of the study. The data was collected by two trained nurses and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to measure possible associations between ECG abnormality and independent factors. A P value of <0.05 cut off point and AOR with 95%CI was considered to declare a statistically significant association. Results: The mean age of the participants of the study was 32.2 with Majority of the patients were in the age group 20-29. Male accounted for 60.2% and females 39.8% of the study participants. Abnormal ECG occurred in 82 (43.2%) patients. The most common ECG abnormality identified was early repolarization pattern. The identified associated factors with abnormal ECG was male sex with specific adjusted ratio of (AOR) of 4.751 and 95% CI (.273, .933) , p=0.029. Conclusions: There is a high frequency of ECG abnormalities among epilepsy patients and hence routine ECG should be performed for early detection and management of fatal arrhythmias and a close follow up in those who have ECG markers of sudden cardiac death.