Risk Factors and Etiologies of Epilepsy in Urban and Rural Rwanda

Summary

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic brain disorders. Up to 85% of persons living with epilepsy (PwE) live in the developing world. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Rwanda has one of the highest prevalence rates (±5%). Higher prevalence in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) can partly be attributed to differences in risk factors for epilepsy of which a great number are preventable. Expanding knowledge on risk factors and etiologies of epilepsy in Rwanda can lower the portion of preventable epilepsies and decrease the high number of Rwandan PwE. This project will focus on the investigation of risk factors and etiologies of epilepsy in urban and rural Rwanda using a nationwide approach.

Conditions

• Epilepsy

Interventions

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

EEG

EEG registration performed in PwE to confirm epilepsy diagnosis

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Neuroimaging

Neuroimaging performed in PwE to diagnose epilepsy etiology

DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Blood sample

Blood samples from both PwE and controls will be collected to measure full blood count, IgM and IgG antibodies to parasitic antigens including Taenia solium, Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, to perform ELISA for HIV1 and HIV2, to measure HIV viral load and to conduct an emmel test.

OTHER

Risk factor questionnaire

Both PwE and control subjects will complete a structured questionnaire on a wide range of potential risk factors present before the onset of the epilepsy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center

  collaborator OTHER

• University Hospital, Ghent

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Paul Boon, MD-PhD · University Hospital, Ghent

• Dirk Teuwen, MD · University Hospital, Ghent

• Ieme Garrez, MD · University Hospital, Ghent

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-05-31

Primary Completion

2024-05-24

Completion

2024-05-24

Countries

• Rwanda

Study Locations