The operational model of a network for managing patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China.

OBJECTIVE

To establish an operational model of a network for managing patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural areas of West China.

METHODS

The network is under unified leadership of the public health administration departments, who liaised with medical institutions and disease control and prevention organizations to foster local communities to participate. Patients with convulsive epilepsy were treated with phenobarbital. Trained local primary health care physicians carried out screening, treatment, and follow-up. Political, financial, and technological support was incrementally provided through the network. Efficacy was assessed as the percentage reduction in seizure frequency and the retention of patients on treatment.

RESULTS

Two thousand five hundred fourteen patients with active convulsive epilepsy were enrolled. After more than 1 year of treatment, 78.4% of the patients had a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency and 43.3% remained seizure free. Probability of retention was 85.8% at 750 days. Nearly 20% patients withdrew from the project, and most of them migrated out of the study areas. Some regular training and educational programs were also carried out.

CONCLUSION

This pragmatic procedure suggests that the network could be suitable for managing convulsive epilepsy in resource-poor regions. Such a network could depend on existing primary health services to ensure its sustainability.