Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study

Aim: This cross-sectional study examined whether growth parameters were associated with epilepsy in children living in a rural community in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the Hai District Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS), Tanzania in whi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rogathe, J, Todd, J, Hunter, E, Walker, R, Ngugi, A, Newton, C, Burton, K
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2014
_version_ 1797058230581460992
author Rogathe, J
Todd, J
Hunter, E
Walker, R
Ngugi, A
Newton, C
Burton, K
author_facet Rogathe, J
Todd, J
Hunter, E
Walker, R
Ngugi, A
Newton, C
Burton, K
author_sort Rogathe, J
collection OXFORD
description Aim: This cross-sectional study examined whether growth parameters were associated with epilepsy in children living in a rural community in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the Hai District Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS), Tanzania in which 6-14 year old children with epilepsy (CWE) were identified. Age matched controls were randomly selected from the Hai census database for comparison. Anthropometric measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of the children and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Associations between social, demographic and nutritional factors and epilepsy were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: 112 CWE were identified and were compared with 113 controls. There was no significant difference in the BMI between cases and controls ( T-test, p-value of 0.117). Amongst cases, there were no significant associations between BMI and motor difficulties, antiepileptic drug use, cognitive or behavioural problems, early-onset epilepsy or seizure frequency. In the whole group, BMI was significantly associated with socio-economic status ( p = 0.037) and age. Discussion: There was no significant difference found between CWE and matched controls with respect to nutritional status. This suggests that there is no causal association between under nutrition and epilepsy in this community. Nutritional assessment is still important as part of the comprehensive care of CWE. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T19:47:35Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:22d9c2b5-f088-4a07-b9da-152108366adf
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T19:47:35Z
publishDate 2014
publisher Elsevier
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:22d9c2b5-f088-4a07-b9da-152108366adf2022-03-26T11:40:58ZGrowth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:22d9c2b5-f088-4a07-b9da-152108366adfEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordElsevier2014Rogathe, JTodd, JHunter, EWalker, RNgugi, ANewton, CBurton, KAim: This cross-sectional study examined whether growth parameters were associated with epilepsy in children living in a rural community in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the Hai District Demographic Surveillance Site (HDSS), Tanzania in which 6-14 year old children with epilepsy (CWE) were identified. Age matched controls were randomly selected from the Hai census database for comparison. Anthropometric measurements were used to assess the nutritional status of the children and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Associations between social, demographic and nutritional factors and epilepsy were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: 112 CWE were identified and were compared with 113 controls. There was no significant difference in the BMI between cases and controls ( T-test, p-value of 0.117). Amongst cases, there were no significant associations between BMI and motor difficulties, antiepileptic drug use, cognitive or behavioural problems, early-onset epilepsy or seizure frequency. In the whole group, BMI was significantly associated with socio-economic status ( p = 0.037) and age. Discussion: There was no significant difference found between CWE and matched controls with respect to nutritional status. This suggests that there is no causal association between under nutrition and epilepsy in this community. Nutritional assessment is still important as part of the comprehensive care of CWE. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
spellingShingle Rogathe, J
Todd, J
Hunter, E
Walker, R
Ngugi, A
Newton, C
Burton, K
Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title_full Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title_fullStr Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title_full_unstemmed Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title_short Growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in Hai District, Tanzania: A community-based study
title_sort growth parameters and childhood epilepsy in hai district tanzania a community based study
work_keys_str_mv AT rogathej growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT toddj growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT huntere growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT walkerr growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT ngugia growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT newtonc growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy
AT burtonk growthparametersandchildhoodepilepsyinhaidistricttanzaniaacommunitybasedstudy