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Incidence and predictors of seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease
Amatniek JC, Hauser WA, DelCastillo-Castaneda C, Jacobs DM, Marder K, Bell K, Albert M, Brandt J et al.. Epilepsia, 2006-05-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Purpose To determine cumulative incidence and predictors of new-onset seizures in mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) with a cohort followed prospectively. Limited information is available on the incidence of seizures, and no reports exist of seizure predictors in AD patients. Methods Mild AD patients were prospectively followed at 6-month intervals to estimate incidence of unprovoked seizures, compare age-specific risk of unprovoked seizures with population norms, and identify characteristics at baseline (demographics, duration and severity of AD, physical and diagnostic test findings, and comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions) influencing unprovoked seizure risk. Review of study charts and medical records supplemented coded end-point data. Results The cumulative incidence of unprovoked seizures at 7 years was nearly 8%. In all age groups, risk was increased compared with a standard population, with an 87-fold increase in the youngest group (age 50-59 years) and more than a threefold increase in the oldest group (age 85+ years). In multivariate modeling, independent predictors of unprovoked seizures were younger age [relative risk (RR), 0.89 per year increase in age; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.82-0.97], African-American ethnic background (RR, 7.35; 95% CI, 1.42-37.98), more-severe dementia (RR, 4.15; 95% CI, 1.06-16.27), and focal epileptiform findings on electroencephalogram (EEG) (RR, 73.36; 95% CI, 1.75-3075.25). Conclusions Seizure incidence is increased in people starting with mild-to-moderate AD. Younger individuals, African Americans, and those with more-severe disease or focal epileptiform findings on EEG were more likely to have unprovoked seizures.
Key findings
- Results The cumulative incidence of unprovoked seizures at 7 years was nearly 8%.
- In all age groups, risk was increased compared with a standard population, with an 87-fold increase in the youngest group (age 50-59 years) and more than a threefold increase in the oldest group (age 85+ years).
Why it matters
In this group of people with mild Alzheimer's disease followed over time, about 8% had a first unprovoked seizure within seven years, and younger age, African-American background, more severe dementia and focal epileptiform findings on EEG predicted seizures. This describes a complication of the disease and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Epilepsia) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Epilepsia: journal h-index 287 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 594 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 27.0 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 16 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 82 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Yaakov Stern: h-index 162 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16686651) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00554.x
- PubMed: 16686651
- Original source →
- Free full text: Columbia Academic Commons (Columbia University) →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Amatniek, J. C., Hauser, W. A., DelCastillo-Castaneda, C., Jacobs, D. M., Marder, K., Bell, K., et al. (2006). Incidence and predictors of seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsia. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00554.x
Vancouver
Amatniek JC, Hauser WA, DelCastillo-Castaneda C, Jacobs DM, Marder K, Bell K, et al. Incidence and predictors of seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Epilepsia. 2006. doi:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00554.x. PMID: 16686651.
BibTeX
@article{amatniek2006-16686651,
author = {Amatniek, J. C. and Hauser, W. A. and DelCastillo-Castaneda, C. and Jacobs, D. M. and Marder, K. and Bell, K. and Albert, M. and Brandt, J. and others},
title = {{Incidence and predictors of seizures in patients with Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Epilepsia},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00554.x},
pmid = {16686651},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00554.x}
}
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