Incidence, predictors and cognitive dysfunction in post-traumatic epilepsy following a traumatic brain injury: A study protocol

Approximately 69 million people worldwide are annually affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). In Malaysia, the traumatic injury was the leading cause of hospital admission and death, accounting for one in three emergency visits. Among the most recognised complication of TBI is post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE), which is an essential contributor to morbidity and mortality. However, there is a lack of local epidemiological data on PTE in Malaysia. This study aims to describe the incidence and predictors of PTE among TBI patients admitted to a tertiary healthcare centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We hypothesised that increases in age, race, and severity of brain injury are among the main potential predictors of PTE. It will also provide evidence that patients with epilepsy following TBI are associated with significant impairment in cognitive performance than TBI patients without epilepsy. An analysis of a two years retrospective cohort will be employed, of which adults with a history of admission for TBI in 2019 and 2020 will be contacted, and the development of epilepsy will be ascertained using a validated tool and confirmed by our neurologists during visits. The patients will then be grouped into two, with PTE and without PTE, and assessed their cognitive performance by clinical psychologists. Given that the management of TBI and PTE patients involves a multidisciplinary team, the findings might be significant to many healthcare providers in determining policy and strategise a better treatment.