Abstract

In Finland, only limited data exist on the epidemiology of epilepsy in adults. This prompted us to study the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy in a population over 15 years of age, residing in Eastern Finland. In a retrospective study, various medical data sources were used to identify and reexamine all patients with established or suspected epileptic seizures during 1960-1979. A total of 1,233 patients with active epilepsy were identified. Mean annual incidence of epilepsy was 24/100,000. Age-specific incidence ratios tended to increase with advancing age. Prevalence of active epilepsy was 629/100,000. Both prevalence and incidence were higher in males than in females. Age-specific prevalence of active epilepsy increased until 40-50 years of age, and declined in the oldest age groups. Of the various seizure types, highest prevalence ratios were observed for partial secondarily generalized seizures, complex partial seizures, and tonic-clonic seizures. Prevalence of partial seizures and generalized seizures had a different age-related pattern.