Abstracts

Rationale: Previous studies on the effect of stress on epileptic seizure are contradicting, possibly due to the diversity of stress factors and the lack of an objective measurement tool. Military stress is characterized by high level of stress. In this study, we examined the effect of military stress on frequency of seizures in civil population of patients with epilepsy. Methods: This retrospective study followed patients with epilepsy seen in the epilepsy clinic of Barzilai Medical Center during the summer of 2014 when the military operation "Protective Edge" between Israel and Gaza took place.  Data collected included age, gender, type of seizures, diagnosis, medications, geographic area of living, medical history, imaging,  EEG findings and seizure frequency before, during and after the period of conflict. The study was approved by the local Institutional Review Board. Results: : Sixty-three (35 men, 55%) patients were included in the study. Mean frequency of seizures during the military operation was one in 3 months. Demographic data, disease duration, findings on MRI or EEG, drug therapy or distance from the Gaza Strip were not associated with change in seizure frequency. No significant change in frequency seizures was seen in most of the patients. However, their risk for an increase in the frequency of seizures during the period of the military operation was higher in patients with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures. (PNES) comparing to the patients with epileptic seizures (p=0.04, Fisher's exact test) Conclusions: Our study did not show any effect of military stress on the frequency of seizures in most of patients with epilepsy. However, patients with PNES were found to be susceptible to increase in frequency of spells during military stress. Funding: This abstract did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.