SUDEP among young adults in the San Diego County Medical Examiner Office

Esma Karlovich; Orrin Devinsky; Michael Brandsoy; Daniel Friedman

doi:10.1111/epi.16443

SUDEP among young adults in the San Diego County Medical Examiner Office

Esma Karlovich
, Orrin Devinsky
, Michael Brandsoy
, Daniel Friedman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Excess mortality due to epilepsy is greatest among young adults. However, the relative proportions of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and other epilepsy-related causes of death are not well defined. We prospectively adjudicated cause of death in all 18- to 45-year-olds with a history of seizure/epilepsy who underwent medicolegal investigation in San Diego County between 2014 and 2017. We identified 108 decedents with definite or probable epilepsy; 62% died from an epilepsy-related cause. SUDEP accounted for 42.6% (N = 46) of deaths, which were usually unwitnessed deaths, at home in bed. Other frequent causes of death were drug overdose (N = 23), suicide (N = 8), trauma (N = 8), and drowning (N = 6). SUDEP autopsies were similar to those of decedents from other causes. Most deaths in young adults with epilepsy that undergo medico-legal investigation are epilepsy-related, and SUDEP is the leading cause. Improved seizure control can potentially save many lives.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	e17-e22
Journal	Epilepsia
Volume	61
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.16443
State	Published - 1 Mar 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

SUDEP incidence
autopsy
epilepsy mortality
premature death in epilepsy
sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

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10.1111/epi.16443

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title = "SUDEP among young adults in the San Diego County Medical Examiner Office",

abstract = "Excess mortality due to epilepsy is greatest among young adults. However, the relative proportions of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and other epilepsy-related causes of death are not well defined. We prospectively adjudicated cause of death in all 18- to 45-year-olds with a history of seizure/epilepsy who underwent medicolegal investigation in San Diego County between 2014 and 2017. We identified 108 decedents with definite or probable epilepsy; 62\% died from an epilepsy-related cause. SUDEP accounted for 42.6\% (N = 46) of deaths, which were usually unwitnessed deaths, at home in bed. Other frequent causes of death were drug overdose (N = 23), suicide (N = 8), trauma (N = 8), and drowning (N = 6). SUDEP autopsies were similar to those of decedents from other causes. Most deaths in young adults with epilepsy that undergo medico-legal investigation are epilepsy-related, and SUDEP is the leading cause. Improved seizure control can potentially save many lives.",

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author = "Esma Karlovich and Orrin Devinsky and Michael Brandsoy and Daniel Friedman",

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AU - Karlovich, Esma

AU - Devinsky, Orrin

AU - Brandsoy, Michael

AU - Friedman, Daniel

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Y1 - 2020/3/1

N2 - Excess mortality due to epilepsy is greatest among young adults. However, the relative proportions of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and other epilepsy-related causes of death are not well defined. We prospectively adjudicated cause of death in all 18- to 45-year-olds with a history of seizure/epilepsy who underwent medicolegal investigation in San Diego County between 2014 and 2017. We identified 108 decedents with definite or probable epilepsy; 62% died from an epilepsy-related cause. SUDEP accounted for 42.6% (N = 46) of deaths, which were usually unwitnessed deaths, at home in bed. Other frequent causes of death were drug overdose (N = 23), suicide (N = 8), trauma (N = 8), and drowning (N = 6). SUDEP autopsies were similar to those of decedents from other causes. Most deaths in young adults with epilepsy that undergo medico-legal investigation are epilepsy-related, and SUDEP is the leading cause. Improved seizure control can potentially save many lives.

AB - Excess mortality due to epilepsy is greatest among young adults. However, the relative proportions of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and other epilepsy-related causes of death are not well defined. We prospectively adjudicated cause of death in all 18- to 45-year-olds with a history of seizure/epilepsy who underwent medicolegal investigation in San Diego County between 2014 and 2017. We identified 108 decedents with definite or probable epilepsy; 62% died from an epilepsy-related cause. SUDEP accounted for 42.6% (N = 46) of deaths, which were usually unwitnessed deaths, at home in bed. Other frequent causes of death were drug overdose (N = 23), suicide (N = 8), trauma (N = 8), and drowning (N = 6). SUDEP autopsies were similar to those of decedents from other causes. Most deaths in young adults with epilepsy that undergo medico-legal investigation are epilepsy-related, and SUDEP is the leading cause. Improved seizure control can potentially save many lives.

KW - SUDEP incidence

KW - autopsy

KW - epilepsy mortality

KW - premature death in epilepsy

KW - sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

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ER -

SUDEP among young adults in the San Diego County Medical Examiner Office

Abstract

Keywords

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