New-onset geriatric epilepsy in a Latin American country: a multi-centric study from Mexico

Background: In Latin America, epilepsy in the elderly is a neglected issue that has never been studied. The epidemiological transition has significantly altered the demographics of epilepsy, and therefore, we would like to draw attention to this topic. Objective: We require local real-world evidence, as the literature often depicts a different scenario, including pharmacological management. Methods: From 2007 to 2018, we recruited all patients with new-onset geriatric epilepsy (first seizure after the age of 60) tracked from ten Mexican hospitals, adding them to patients with similar characteristics from a previously published study. The diagnosis was confirmed in all patients by a certified neurologist, and they were also studied using a conventional electroencephalogram and imaging workup. Results: A diagnosis of new-onset geriatric epilepsy (Elderly patients was established in 100 cases. No specific cause was found in 26% of patients, while 42% had a stroke and 10% had neurocysticercosis (NCC). Monotherapy was the choice in 83 patients, and phenytoin was the most used drug (50%), followed by carbamazepine (25%). Conclusion: NCC remains a frequent cause of new-onset geriatric epilepsy. This distribution is not seen in the literature, mainly representing patients from wealthy economies. In our setting, financial constraints influence the choice of the drug, and newer antiepileptic drugs should be made more affordable to this population with economic and physical frailty.