Can immune disorders influence therapeutic approaches in treatment of epilepsy among neurologists? A first cooperative national recognition in Italy

Functional disturbances of the immune system have been detected more often among persons affected by epilepsy than in the general population. In the February-July period of 2007 a specific questionnaire on the relationship between epilepsy and immunological response was sent to 27 specialized Centres for Epilepsy in nine Italian regions. 15,388 epileptic patients attended twenty-seven Centers during this six-month period. 3.3 percent (n=502) of these patients suffered an immune disease. This is the first National survey on the relationship between epilepsy and immunological response in current clinical practice.