A new study that included data from more than 53,000 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) concluded that people with MS are nearly twice as likely to experience seizures compared to people without MS.

The research, led by Valeria Pozzilli, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy, was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry in February.

Researchers sought “to assess the incidence of seizures in patients participating in randomized clinical trials and to identify potential contributing factors,” the study said. Researchers used data from 60 articles published from 1993 to 2022.

“The pooled incidence rate of seizures was 68.0 per 100,000 patient-years, significantly higher than the general population rate of 34.6 [seizures],” the study said, adding that generalized tonic-clonic seizures were most commonly reported.

Seizure risk rose as the MS progressed; as the duration of the disease lengthened; as disability level became more severe; and with lower brain volumes, the study said. “Particularly, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators exhibited a 2.45-fold increased risk of seizures compared with placebo or comparators, with a risk difference of 20.5 events per 100,000 patient-years.”

“Our findings underscore epilepsy as a significant comorbidity in MS and emphasize the necessity for further research into its triggers, preventive measures and treatment strategies,” the authors said.