Christensen Jakob, Trabjerg Betina B, Wagner Ryan G, Newton Charles R, Kwon Churl-Su, Aaberg Kari Modalsli, Trinka Eugen, Wiebe Samuel, Cross Judith Helen, Vegrim Håkon Magne, Vos Theo, Steinmetz Jaimie, Dreier Julie Werenberg
Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, affiliated member of EpiCARE, Aarhus, Denmark.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 10;96(5):480-488. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2024-334547.
The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) produces prevalence estimates for 'idiopathic epilepsy' (ie, of unknown aetiology) and 'secondary epilepsy' (ie, with known aetiology) but does not report prevalence by underlying aetiologies for 'secondary epilepsy'.
We used nationwide, population-based register data from Denmark to identify underlying causes of epilepsy and their contribution to prevalence of 'secondary epilepsy' and compared with global prevalence data from GBD 2019. We identified all persons with a hospital-based epilepsy diagnosis and a filled prescription for antiseizure medication between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. Epilepsy was categorised into 'idiopathic' or 'secondary' and 'total epilepsy' as the sum of the two epilepsy categories.
On 31 December 2018, a total of 5 784 284 individuals (49.7% males) were living in Denmark including 40 336 with epilepsy (51.5% males). Perinatal conditions, traumatic brain injury, brain tumours and stroke were prominent underlying causes of 'secondary epilepsy'. The prevalence of 'total epilepsy' in Denmark was 697 (95% CI 691 to 704) per 100 000 population (264 (95% CI 260 to 269) for 'secondary epilepsy' and 433 (95% CI 428 to 438) for 'idiopathic epilepsy'). In the GBD 2019 Study, the prevalence of 'total epilepsy' in 2018 was 682 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 586 to 784) per 100 000 population (359 (95% UI 324-397) for 'secondary epilepsy' and 324 (95% UI 249 to 404) for 'idiopathic epilepsy').
Prevalence estimates of 'total epilepsy', 'idiopathic epilepsy' and 'secondary epilepsy' in Denmark align with the GBD 2019 estimates. In future studies, it is suggested to explicitly include all types of epilepsy, including 'secondary epilepsy', which is currently estimated as sequelae (consequences) of underlying diseases.
全球疾病负担研究（GBD）对“特发性癫痫”（即病因不明）和“继发性癫痫”（即病因已知）的患病率进行了估计，但未按“继发性癫痫”的潜在病因报告患病率。
我们使用丹麦全国基于人群的登记数据来确定癫痫的潜在病因及其对“继发性癫痫”患病率的贡献，并与GBD 2019的全球患病率数据进行比较。我们确定了2009年1月1日至2018年12月31日期间所有有医院诊断癫痫且有抗癫痫药物处方的人。癫痫被分为“特发性”或“继发性”，“总癫痫”为这两种癫痫类型的总和。
2018年12月31日，丹麦共有5784284人（男性占49.7%），其中40336人患有癫痫（男性占51.5%）。围产期疾病、创伤性脑损伤、脑肿瘤和中风是“继发性癫痫”的主要潜在病因。丹麦“总癫痫”的患病率为每10万人697例（95%CI 691至704）（“继发性癫痫”为264例（95%CI 260至269），“特发性癫痫”为433例（95%CI 428至438））。在GBD 2019研究中，2018年“总癫痫”的患病率为每10万人682例（95%不确定区间（UI）586至784）（“继发性癫痫”为359例（95%UI 324 - 397），“特发性癫痫”为324例（95%UI 249至404））。
丹麦“总癫痫”、“特发性癫痫”和“继发性癫痫”的患病率估计与GBD 2019的估计一致。在未来的研究中，建议明确纳入所有类型的癫痫，包括“继发性癫痫”，目前其被估计为潜在疾病的后遗症（后果）。
