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Objectives We surveyed people with epilepsy (PWE) and uncontrolled seizures on the challenges which they have had in their lives with respect to educational achievement, employment, and marriage. We tried to scrutinize their reasons and perceptions for their social underachievement and difficulties. Materials and Methods Adult patients above 25 years of age, with epileptic seizures for more than 5 years, who were investigated at Shiraz Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, from January until March 2019, were studied. We prepared a questionnaire for our study and asked whether they have any college education? If they have ever married? And, if they are employed? Results Seventy patients enrolled in our study. Age of the patients was 33 ± 6 years (range: 26–59 years) and their age at onset of epilepsy was 14 ± 9 years (range: 0–35 years). Forty-four patients (63%) never received any college education; 30 patients (43%) were single; and finally, 37 patients (53%) were unemployed. The most common reasons perceived by the patients for these life challenges were functional disability (e.g., inability to study or to work), social discrimination and stigmatization, and uncontrolled seizures and the associated consequences (i.e., fear of having seizures). Conclusion Many PWE (both men and women) and uncontrolled seizures suffer from social underachievement and challenges in their daily lives. Various strategies may help PWE to overcome these challenges.

Hearing impairment is the most common complication of meningitis. This prospective study was designed to determine the prevalence of hearing impairment after aseptic and bacterial meningitis in children. All patients 5-15 years of age with bacterial or aseptic meningitis admitted in Shiraz University Hospitals were included in a 40-month period study. Pure tone audiometry was arranged at the time of discharge. In total, 115 patients were studied. Sensorineural hearing impairment was detected in 35/83 of aseptic meningitis patients (42.2%) and 14/32 of bacterial meningitis patients (46.8%). There were 13 patients with bilateral hearing loss in aseptic meningitis group and eight patients in bacterial meningitis group ( P =0 .389). There were seven patients with moderate to severe hearing loss in bacterial meningitis group and four patients in aseptic meningitis group (P =0 .014). This study demonstrated high prevalence of sensorineural hearing impairment following both bacterial and aseptic meningitis. Bilateral hearing impairment was common in both groups. Hearing impairment was more severe among bacterial meningitis patients.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a commonly used anticonvulsant agent, but it has been linked with different blood cell abnormalities. This study tried to determine some of the risk factors associated with CBZ-induced leukopenia in pediatric and adolescent age group. This nested-cohort study was conducted on children and adolescents with epilepsy who received CBZ monotherapy. They included 41 patients with epilepsy. From all of the patients, baseline blood tests were obtained before starting medication and then serially. The patients were followed for at least one year. Thirteen patients (31.7%) developed leukopenia in follow-up blood tests. In one patient CBZ was discontinued after six months due to the occurrence of significant neutropenia. Four factors were associated with CBZ-induced leukopenia in these patients. The first factor was gender; leukopenia was more common among girls ( P = 0.018). The other factors were lower white blood cell counts, lower neutrophil counts and lower monocyte counts in the first complete blood count, before starting CBZ. It is very important to have a complete blood cell count in everyone before treatment with CBZ is started. Thereafter, the frequency of blood monitoring can be determined on an individual basis. It is reasonable to be very careful and follow the patient repeatedly and closely when deciding to start CBZ in a girl with borderline low white blood cells, neutrophil or monocyte count.

The aim of this case-control study was to determine whether there is any association between idiopathic generalized epilepsy and allergic disorders in children. All children with idiopathic epilepsy attending the Motahary Clinic, Shiraz, Iran, in a 7-month period were included in the study. Neurologically normal children, matched for age and sex, were considered as controls. The required data including age, gender, history of allergic disorders, history of smoking in the family members and breast versus formula feeding in the first six months of life were collected. The total number of participants was 110 patients and 100 controls. History of allergic disorders was positive in 28.2% of the patients and 36% of the controls (P = 0.225). When only patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy were considered (100 patients), allergic disorders were reported in 28%. The prevalence of allergic disorders in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy was not significantly different from that in controls (P = 0.225). Family history of allergic disorders was positive in 34.5% of the patients and 45% of the controls (P = 0.122). Our study failed to demonstrate any association or link between idiopathic generalized epilepsy and allergy.