Assessing the risk of seizures with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine therapy for COVID-19 in persons with epilepsy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The goal of this systematic review is to assess the published literature for seizure risk with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine therapy in persons with and without epilepsy. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a desperate need for treatment against the SARS CoV-2 virus. Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine is one proposed medication that has received substantial public attention. However, the package insert states that these medications may provoke seizures in patients with epilepsy, and this has resulted in increased questions and anxiety in the epilepsy community.

Methods

PubMed (1970 to March 27, 2020) and the Embase (1970 to March 27, 2020) were searched with the terms chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine and seizure or epilepsy, convulsions, or status epilepticus

SUBMITTER: Pati S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7289097 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature