Dermatological manifestations of epilepsy among adult Sudanese epileptic patients

OBJECTIVE: To study the pattern of dermatological changes associated with epilepsy among adult Sudanese epileptic patients.

METHODS: This non-interventional descriptive study included 360 adult Sudanese epileptic patients and was conducted at the El Shaab Teaching Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, from February 2004 to August 2007. All patients had full detailed history and clinical examination. A dermatologist assessed the dermatological changes. Investigations carried out included EEG, CT brain, and serial of drug serum levels.

RESULTS: Out of 360 patients, 31 were found to have scars due to repeated attacks of convulsions, one patient was found to have neurofibromatoma, one had tuberous-sclerosis, one had Sturge-Weber syndrome, one had Kaposi sarcoma, one had systemic lupus erythematosus, one diabetic patient had skin atrophy, one patient taking phenobarbitone had skin eruption, one patient on carbamazepine had skin changes, while 5 patients on phenytoin had skin manifestations.

CONCLUSION: Skin changes can occur in epileptic patients as part of drug toxicity, or as part of the clinical manifestations of certain diseases that can cause secondary epilepsy, for example, neurofibroma.