Treatment initiation decisions in newly diagnosed epilepsy–A longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

Objective: To examine the factors and reasons influencing treatment initiation decisions in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy. Methods: We assessed antiseizure medication initiation decisions in adults with newly diagnosed epilepsy seen at first seizure clinics in Western Australia between 1999 and 2016 and followed to 2018. Results: Of 610 patients (median age 40 years, 61.0% male), 426 (69.8%) were diagnosed after two or more seizures and 184 (30.2%) after a single seizure with risk factors for recurrence. Treatment was commenced in 427 patients (70.0%) at diagnosis, 112 (18.4%) during follow-up, mostly after further seizures, whereas 71 (11.6%) remained untreated at last follow-up. E..