Faculty mentor/PI email address
pittonrissardo-jamir@cooperhealth.edu
Keywords
Mortality, epilepsy, status epilepticus, pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia, prevention
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Introduction: Epilepsy in older adults is frequently complicated by swallowing dysfunction, increasing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Despite its clinical relevance, national trends and demographic disparities in deaths involving these conditions remain poorly characterized. Methods: We analyzed death certificate data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database (1999–2020) for individuals aged ≥65 years with epilepsy (ICD-10 G40, G41) and aspiration pneumonia (J69) listed as causes. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 and annual percentage changes (APCs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Joinpoint Regression. Analyses were stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, census region, and state. Results: From 1999 to 2020, 4,355 deaths were identified. Mortality rose from 1,338 deaths in 1999 to 3,432 in 2020, corresponding to an APC of 4.6% per year (95% CI: 4.2–5.0%). AAMRs increased significantly over time, with a consistent upward trend across all demographic strata. Males had higher mortality than females (0.072 vs. 0.057 per 100,000), and Black individuals exhibited the highest racial rate (0.082 per 100,000) compared to White (0.064) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.027). Geographic variation was notable, with North Dakota (0.145 per 100,000) and Rhode Island (0.138) reporting the highest crude rates, while New York had the lowest (0.031). State-level estimates were unreliable for smaller populations. Conclusion: Mortality involving epilepsy and aspiration pneumonia in older adults has risen substantially over two decades, with disparities by sex, race, and region.
Disciplines
Bacterial Infections and Mycoses | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nervous System Diseases
Trends and Disparities in Mortality Involving Epilepsy and Aspiration Pneumonia Among Older Adults in the United States, 1999–2020
Introduction: Epilepsy in older adults is frequently complicated by swallowing dysfunction, increasing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Despite its clinical relevance, national trends and demographic disparities in deaths involving these conditions remain poorly characterized. Methods: We analyzed death certificate data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database (1999–2020) for individuals aged ≥65 years with epilepsy (ICD-10 G40, G41) and aspiration pneumonia (J69) listed as causes. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 and annual percentage changes (APCs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Joinpoint Regression. Analyses were stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, census region, and state. Results: From 1999 to 2020, 4,355 deaths were identified. Mortality rose from 1,338 deaths in 1999 to 3,432 in 2020, corresponding to an APC of 4.6% per year (95% CI: 4.2–5.0%). AAMRs increased significantly over time, with a consistent upward trend across all demographic strata. Males had higher mortality than females (0.072 vs. 0.057 per 100,000), and Black individuals exhibited the highest racial rate (0.082 per 100,000) compared to White (0.064) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.027). Geographic variation was notable, with North Dakota (0.145 per 100,000) and Rhode Island (0.138) reporting the highest crude rates, while New York had the lowest (0.031). State-level estimates were unreliable for smaller populations. Conclusion: Mortality involving epilepsy and aspiration pneumonia in older adults has risen substantially over two decades, with disparities by sex, race, and region.