Neurofrailty: A Study of Late-onset Epilepsy and Its Associations

Launched by LANCASHIRE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · Feb 9, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The NeuroFrailty study is looking at late-onset epilepsy, which means seizures that start in adulthood, and how it may be connected to future health issues like stroke and dementia. Researchers want to learn more about how brain health changes over the years for people who have their first seizure later in life. They will observe participants’ health, memory, lifestyle choices, and any new medical conditions that develop over time. The goal is to see if there are patterns or connections between late-onset epilepsy and other serious health problems.

To participate in the study, you need to be at least 18 years old and have had your first seizure confirmed by a specialist. There are different levels of involvement, ranging from low, where researchers check your medical records once or twice a year, to very high, which includes longer conversations about your experiences and how epilepsy affects your daily life. The study is open to everyone, regardless of gender, and participants can choose how much they want to be involved. If at any point you decide you no longer want to participate, you can withdraw, and your information will remain anonymous.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion criteria for case participants includes:
• • diagnosis of LOE or first seizure after the age of 18.
• • diagnosis confirmed or established at a tertiary neurology centre.
• • sequential cases will be used; in the unlikely event that eligible cases outstrip capacity, an annual cap of the first 150 patients per year per cohort will be used.
• Inclusion criteria for control participants includes:
• • established diagnosis of migraine.
• • with or without therapeutic medications with antiepileptic properties.
• • Exclusion Criteria
• Exclusion criteria for case participants includes:
• • a 'lesional' attributable cause for seizures including malignancy, stroke (excluding transient ischaemic attack), hypoxic brain injury, trauma, vascular or congenital abnormality of likely aetiological significance.
• • people with migraine or headache syndrome can be included in case group - the presence or absence of a seizure syndrome is mutually exclusive between case and control groups, not the presence or absence of migraine.
• Exclusion criteria for control participants includes:
• • diagnosis of epilepsy or confirmed seizure.
• • 'lesional' attributable cause for seizures including malignancy, stroke (excluding transient ischaemic attack), hypoxic brain injury, trauma.