ILLICIT DRUG USE AND THE RISK OF NEW-ONSET SEIZURES

The authors studied the use of heroin, marijuana, and cocaine before the onset of a first seizure in 308 patients with seizures and 294 controls at Harlem Hospital Center, New York City, between 1981 and 1984. Heroin use, both past and present, appeared to be a risk factor for all first seizures (ad...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of epidemiology 1990-07, Vol.132 (1), p.47-57
Main Authors: NG, STEPHEN K. C., BRUST, JOHN C. M., HAUSER, W. ALLEN, SUSSER, MERVYN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
African Americans
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
cannabis
Case-Control Studies
Cocaine
diacetylmorphine
epilepsy
Female
Heroin Dependence - complications
Heroin Dependence - epidemiology
Humans
Male
Marijuana Abuse - complications
Marijuana Abuse - epidemiology
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurology
New York City
Poverty
Risk Factors
seizures
Seizures - chemically induced
Seizures - epidemiology
Seizures - physiopathology
Sex Factors
substance abuse
Substance-Related Disorders - complications
Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:The authors studied the use of heroin, marijuana, and cocaine before the onset of a first seizure in 308 patients with seizures and 294 controls at Harlem Hospital Center, New York City, between 1981 and 1984. Heroin use, both past and present, appeared to be a risk factor for all first seizures (adjusted odds ratio=2.80, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.53–5.74). For unprovoked seizures, the adjusted odds ratio was 2.58 (95% Cl 1.36–4.90) for ever heroin use and 4.70 (95% Cl 0.86–25.78) for heroin use within 24 hours of hospitalization. For provoked seizures, respective adjusted odds ratios were 3.65 (95% Cl 1.54–8.65) and 27.74 (95% Cl 3.57–215.52). Marijuana use appeared to be a protective factor against first seizures in men. For men with unprovoked seizures, the adjusted odds ratio was 0.42 (95% Cl 0.22–0.82) for ever marijuana use and 0.36 (95% Cl 0.18–0.74) for marijuana use within 90 days of hospitalization. For men with provoked seizures, respective adjusted odds ratios were 1.03 (95% Cl 0.36–2.89) and 0.18 (95% Cl 0.04–0.84). Cocaine use, while common among study subjects, was not shown to be a significant risk factor either for all first seizures or for subgroups of seizures, regardless of the time of last use. The authors conclude that heroin use is a risk factor and marijuana use a protective factor for new-onset seizures.
ISSN:0002-9262
1476-6256
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115642