| Title: | Risk of epilepsy in people with adult-onset hydrocephalus: insights from the UK Biobank |
| Journal: | Neurological Sciences |
| Published: | 16 Jul 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42458109/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-026-09227-6 |
| URL: | https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10072-026-09227-6.pdf |
Publication 20261
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Abstract
AimWe aim to determine whether individuals with adult-onset hydrocephalus have an increased risk of incident epilepsy over time.MethodsWe analysed data from the UK Biobank cohort. Diagnoses of "hydrocephalus" and "epilepsy" were identified through ICD-10-coded health records, excluding congenital and secondary cases. The association between these two diseases was investigated using logistic regression (adjusted for age and sex); subsequently, we performed a sampled cohort study to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) for incident epilepsy in people with adult-onset hydrocephalus using Cox proportional hazards models with a dedicated sensitivity analysis including different sets of covariates such as demographic, lifestyle, vascular, and genetic factors.ResultsOur cohort included 483,790 controls, 5,028 individuals with epilepsy, and 320 with adult-onset hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus and epilepsy were strongly associated (OR: 9.6, 95% CI: 6.4-13.8, p < 0.001). Adjusted Cox models demonstrated a markedly increased risk of incident epilepsy in people with adult-onset hydrocephalus, with HR values ranging from 14.62 (95% CI: 7.91-27.00, p < 0.001) to 23.80 (95% CI: 12.87-44.03, p < 0.001) across models, after adjusting for multiple covariates. Results were also consistent after excluding people with comorbid neurodegenerative dementias such as Alzheimer's disease.ConclusionsWe demonstrated a markedly increased risk of epilepsy in adult-onset hydrocephalus, independent of vascular and neurodegenerative comorbidities and not attributable to shunt-related complications. These findings underscore the importance of increased diagnostic vigilance, as seizures may be under-recognized in this population, and support further research to clarify mechanisms and optimize management strategies.</p>
16 Keywords
- Adult
- Age of Onset
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Biological Specimen Banks
- Cohort Studies
- Epilepsy
- Female
- Humans
- Hydrocephalus
- Incidence
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Risk Factors
- UK Biobank
- United Kingdom
7 Authors
- Jolanda Buonocore
- Francesco Fortunato
- Enrico Fratto
- Ilaria Sammarra
- Antonio Gambardella
- Aldo Quattrone
- Andrea Quattrone
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 147093 | Prediction of Parkinson's disease and Atypical Parkinsonism: a longitudinal study from the UK Biobank |
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