Increased risk of epilepsy after transient global amnesia: a population-based study in South Korea

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the risk of epilepsy after transient global amnesia (TGA). Methods Study population was recruited using the International Classification of Diseases codes from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2002 and 2020. The incidence of epilepsy was compared between the TGA (n=12,390) and non-TGA (n=33,868) groups, determined using 1:3 propensity score matching. Using Cox proportional hazard regression model, we obtained adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident epilepsy in the TGA compared with non-TGA group. Logistic regression was performed to examine the independent variables determining incident epilepsy in the TGA group, and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs were calculated. Results The TGA group had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of epilepsy than controls (p <0.001, log-rank test). TGA was significantly associated with incident epilepsy in the Cox model (adjusted HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.36–1.56). The adjusted logistic regression showed that age (per 1 year, aOR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.02), female sex (aOR 0.68, 95% CI 0.60–0.77), hypertension (aOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.00–1.30), diabetes (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.10–1.44), stroke (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06–1.40), depression (aOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.22–1.69), anxiety (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.14–1.51), alcohol-related disease (aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.38–2.78), low income (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02–1.36) and rural residence (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.02–1.42) were associated with incident epilepsy. Conclusions Our results suggest a longitudinal association of TGA with incident epilepsy.