ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM ABNORMALITIES IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

Background and aims: Electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities are common in the elderly due to a higher risk of vascular diseases, cognitive decline, and other systemic disorders. However, electroencephalogram abnormalities in the elderly have not been thoroughly investigated in Southeast Asia. We aimed to elucidate the prevalence and associated factors of EEG abnormalities in elderly patients. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2024 and October 2025 at the National University of Malaysia. Demographic and clinical data of the participants were collected from patients aged 65 years or older who underwent EEG. Patients with agitation, acute psychosis, and non-epileptic seizures were excluded. EEG findings were classified as normal or abnormal. The outcome of the patients was evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Results: A total of 288 participants were recruited for this study with a median age of 74.0 years (IQR: 69.0 – 80.0), and 50.0% were male. Common comorbidities include hypertension (76.0%), stroke (62.2%), and diabetes mellitus (56.6%). EEG abnormalities were present in 73.3% of patients, consisting of generalized slowing (54.9%), focal slowing (10.8%), and epileptic changes (7.6%). In multivariate analysis, significant risk factors for abnormal EEG included seizures (aOR = 6.53, p