To describe the frequency of comorbidities in a population of adults diagnosed with epilepsy, treated at a specialized epilepsy clinic in Mexico, and their impact on seizure control as a prognostic factor.

Comorbidities are conditions that coexist during the course of a disease. Approximately 50% of people living with epilepsy have at least one comorbidity, with up to an eightfold increased risk for certain comorbidities compared to the general population. Comorbidities have a negative impact on the prognosis of epilepsy (inadequate seizure control, poor response to treatment, increased mortality) as well as a significant impact on quality of life.

Observational, descriptive, and retrospective study. Patients over 15 years of age with a diagnosis of epilepsy, treated at the Epilepsy Clinic of NINN, were included. Clinical and demographic variables were obtained from the medical records. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25 software.

Of the 497 patients included, 57.7% (n=286) were women, with a mean age of 36.2 years. 52.5% (n=261) had one or more comorbidities: 31.8% with affective disorders, 5.6% with motor disorders, 13.5% with intellectual disability, 6.8% with language disorders, 9.9% with learning disorders, 1.45% with cardiorespiratory diseases, 2.8% with endocrine-metabolic disorders, and 1% with headaches. 60.7% (n=301) experienced persistent seizures in the last 6 months. The comorbidities statistically associated with seizure persistence were intellectual disability (17.5%, p<0.001), language disorder (8.9%, p=0.002), learning disorder (13.2%, p=0.02), and motor disorder (7.3%, p=0.047).

Comorbidities represent a significant burden for patients with epilepsy, affecting seizure control. Early identification and timely treatment of comorbidities are essential to improve the prognosis and quality of life.