Cardiovascular Health in Late Onset Seizures and Epilepsy (CHeLOSE)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Health in Late Onset Seizures and Epilepsy- A Target for Secondary Prevention? (CHeLOSE)
IRAS ID
313466
Contact name
Josephine Mayer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 5 days
Research summary
Adults who develop seizures and epilepsy later in life are at an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks. At present, blood vessel health is not considered in routine epilepsy care and there is no guidance for healthcare providers regarding this. Presenting with a seizure later in life could be an important time point to improve vessel health for prevention of future stroke and heart attacks.
This study is designed to investigate the blood vessel health in the brain and the body of people who develop seizures and epilepsy later in life.
The study consists of three parts.
Part 1- A comparison of the brain and blood vessel health in patients aged 50-75 years with seizures or epilepsy without obvious cause (unprovoked) to people who have high blood pressure and people who are healthy. Blood tests will be performed that identify risk factors such as diabetes and high cholesterol; blood pressure will be measured; the stiffness of blood vessels checked and the brain blood vessels will be assessed using ultrasound.
Part 2- An assessment of blood vessel health over time by repeating the tests at 6 and 12 months. Patients with unprovoked seizures and epilepsy will be compared again to those with high blood pressure.
Part 3- A cohort of patients with unprovoked seizures and epilepsy will be established to review their MRI Brain scans, blood vessel health risk factors and health 12 months after diagnosis.This study will provide insight into blood vessel health of this group of patients, inform our understanding of the relationship between blood vessel health and seizures, and may help identify those patients at risk of future stroke and heart attack.
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EM/0127
Date of REC Opinion
6 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion