摘要

BackgroundPrevious studies using animal models suggest an association between allergic disease and epilepsy. We sought to determine whether allergic disease is associated with epilepsy in children. %26lt;br%26gt;MethodsWe used the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children%26apos;s Health, a US population-based study of 91642 children aged 0-17years to determine the association between the prevalence of epilepsy and allergic disease, including asthma, atopic dermatitis (AD)/eczema, hay fever, and food allergies. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed that controlled for confounding variables. %26lt;br%26gt;ResultsThe US lifetime prevalence of childhood epilepsy was 1.03% and was significantly associated with older age, male sex, lower household income, family structure and history of brain injury or concussion. Children with 1 allergic disease had more epilepsy in their lifetime than nonallergic children (logistic regression, adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]=1.79 [1.37-2.33]). Lifetime prevalence (2.30 [1.50-3.52]) and one-year prevalence of asthma (2.00 [1.41-2.84]), AD/eczema (1.73 [1.17-2.56]), hay fever (1.93 [1.41-2.65]) and food allergies (2.69 [1.38-4.01]) were associated with increased odds of ever being diagnosed with epilepsy. Similar results were found for current history of epilepsy. Severe AD/eczema (23.89 [1.34-11.32]) and hay fever (2.46 [1.11-5.41]) were associated with even higher odds of epilepsy compared with mild/moderate disease. As the number of allergic diseases increased, so did the odds of lifetime history and current history of epilepsy. %26lt;br%26gt;ConclusionsThe US prevalence of epilepsy is associated with allergic diseases in children. Further studies are needed to determine whether allergic inflammation contributes toward epileptogenesis.