Frequency of menstrual abnormalities and their associated risk factors in women with refractory epilepsy referred to epilepsy center of Kashani hospital in Isfahan from 2011 to 2016

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic condition and affects peoples at all ages. Menstrual abnormalities are more common in Women With Epilepsy and plays a key role in their fertility. Various studies have reported a variety of frequencies and risk factors for these abnormalities. Method: we designed a study to determine the frequency of menstrual abnormalities and their associated risk factors in women with refractory epilepsy. Results: among 381 patients between 15-45 years old entered to this study , 132 of them (34.65%) had menstrual abnormality which was significantly higher than menstrual abnormality reported in otherwise normal general population (p < 0.05). Oligomenorrhea was the most common type of menstrual abnormality in women with refractory epilepsy and 66 patients (50.0%) with menstrual abnormality had oligomenorrhea (p<0.05) , hypermenorrhea , hypomenorrhea , and polymenorrhea reported in 37(28.03%) ,17(12.87%) ,and 12 (7.89%) 0f patients respectively which was not statistically significant. Among patients with menstrual abnormality 42 patients used 2 antiepileptic drugs(31.81%), 32 patients used 3 antiepileptic drugs(24.24%) ,35 patients used 4 antiepileptic drugs(26.51%) and 25 patients used 5 or more antiepileptic drugs(18.93%). Use of valproate significantly increased risk of menstrual abnormality and 50% of patients with menstrual abnormality had sodium valproate in their antiepileptic regimen .151 patient had catamenial pattern of seizure (39.63%) and 54 of 132 patient with menstrual abnormality(40.90%) had catamenial seizures. The most common brain pathology among patients with menstrual abnormality was mesial temporal lobe sclerosis and seen in 28 (21.21%) of them (p<0.05). side of brain lesion was not statistically meaningful. Conclusions: In Women With Refractory Epilepsy, menstrual cycle irregularities, and consequently increased risk of infertility, or signs of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are frequently encountered. Both seizures and AEDs have been causally implicated. Oligomenorrhea is the most common type of menstrual abnormality in women with refractory epilepsy and the most common brain pathology among patients with menstrual abnormality was mesial temporal lobe sclerosis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Epilepsy ، Oligomenorrhea ، sodium valproate.