Global, regional, and national epidemiology of Idiopathic Childhood Epilepsy from 1990 to 2021

Introduction: Childhood epilepsy is a major global health challenge with severe outcomes such as depression, intellectual disability, and increased suicide risk. It is vital to understand epidemiological trends and risk factors to effectively address the condition's burden. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, covering 204 countries from 1990 to 2021, focusing on children aged 0 to 14 years with epilepsy. We analyzed trends in incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), examining variations across different demographics and sociodemographic indices (SDI). Results: In 2021, there were approximately 1.23 million cases of childhood epilepsy worldwide, marking a 26.34% increase from 1990. During the same period, deaths attributed to epilepsy decreased from 25,768 to 18,171. The global incidence rate rose from 55.85 to 61.00 per 100,000 population, while the mortality rate declined from 1.48 to 0.90 per 100,000. The lowest SDI regions recorded the highest mortality rate in 2021 (1.46 per 100,000). Regionally, Southern Latin America saw the largest increase in incidence (EAPC, 0.49), and Eastern Europe observed the most significant mortality decrease (EAPC, -4.65). Ecuador reported the highest incidence rate, Tajikistan the highest mortality, and Zambia the highest DALYs in 2021. Conclusions: The global incidence of childhood epilepsy continues to rise, presenting an ongoing public health challenge. Although there is a global decline in DALYs and mortality rates, the absolute number of affected individuals remains high, especially in lower SDI regions. This study underlines the need for enhanced understanding and targeted interventions to manage and prevent epilepsy effectively.