Video-electroencephalography Monitoring Research Articles

Overview of Seizure and Epilepsy Syndromes and Their Multidisciplinary Management

Abnormal hyperexcitable electrical discharges of the cerebral cortex lead to the disturbance between the inhibitory and excitatory balance of the neural network. Seizure is caused by four main mechanisms, including metabolic, structural, inflammatory, and infectious mechanisms. Seizures are classified as partial and generalized based on the isolation in a specific area in one brain hemisphere or passing through the nerve fibers and spreading to the other hemisphere as well. Epilepsy is defined as the occurrence of more than two unprovoked and unpredicted repeated seizures. Epilepsy affects more than three million individuals in the United States and approximately 50 million individuals worldwide. Epilepsy may be of an unknown origin, while it could also be associated with certain syndromes. General and specific approaches to seizure treatment encompass a wide range of factors. The general approach should be focused on reassurance and raising the awareness of the patients and their family, and the specific treatment is focused on utilizing pharmacological and surgical approaches. In general, the surgical approaches used for medication-refractory seizures are both palliative and curative, showing promising results if the epileptogenic area is localized using a multidisciplinary approach via live video-electroencephalography monitoring or direct intracranial electrode placement. In addition, the utilization of live modern imaging modalities coupled with surgical approaches could enhance the success rate of the treatment and increase the seizure-free duration.

Efficacy and tolerability of rufinamide in the treatment of epilepsy (experience of the Svt. Luka’s Institute of Child Neurology and Epilepsy)

Background. Despite significant advances in epileptology, approximately one-third of epilepsy patients suffer from drug-resistant seizures. Numerous approaches are currently available to treat epilepsy; however, there are still many patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy, in whom surgical treatment is impossible and alternative methods (vagus nerve stimulation and ketogenic diet) are ineffective. Therefore, searching for novel effective antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is crucial for these patients.Objective: analysis of own data on the efficacy and tolerability of rufinamide in patients with severe forms of epilepsy and seizures typical of Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS).Materials and methods. The study included 31 patients aged between 4 and 26 years (mean age 7.5 years) that received rufinamide (inovelon). The study cohort comprised 21 males and 10 females. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with LGS, whereas 16 patients were diagnosed with structural focal epilepsy with a phenocopy of LGS. Five patients had an evolution of West syndrome to LGS. The majority of patients (n = 22) experienced predominantly axial tonic seizures and epileptic spasms that were considered as indications for introduction of rufinamide. All patients underwent electroencephalography, video-electroencephalography monitoring during wakefulness and sleep, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (including high-resolution MRI with special epilepsy protocols when indicated), genetic examination (tandem mass spectrometry, hereditary epilepsy gene panel test and chromosomal microarray analysis) when indicated, and laboratory tests to assess tolerability of antiepileptic drugs.Results. Good therapeutic effect (more than 50 % reduction in seizure frequency) was achieved in 14 (45.2 %) patients. A less than 50 % reduction in seizure frequency occurred in 5 (16.1 %) patients; in 2 of them seizures became shorter and milder without a significant reduction in their frequency. Rufinamide was ineffective in 9 (29 %) patients. Three (9.7 %) patients experienced aggravation (increased seizure frequency) after the introduction of rufinamide. Thus, treatment with rufinamide was effective in 19 (61.3 %) patients. Rufinamide was well tolerated by most of the patients. Side effects were observed in 6 (19 %) participants. Side effects (forced normalization) caused withdrawal of rufinamide in 1 (3.2 %) patient. Currently, 10 (32 %) patients continue to take rufinamide. Sixteen patients received rufinamide for <6 months, 17 patients – for >6 months, 5 patients – for >12 months, and 1 patient – for >2 years.Conclusion. Our findings are consistent with the results obtained by foreign authors in routine clinical practice. In our study, rufinamide was used only in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy that earlier received many of currently available AEDs (both in monotherapy and in combination with other drugs). All study participants were earlier treated with at least three different AEDs that were ineffective. Seven patients received more than 8 AEDs in various combinations. This initial drug resistance should be taken into account when analyzing the data, which can not be extrapolated to patients with unknown drug resistance. We assume that the early introduction of rufinamide (prior to the detection of drug resistance) might have yielded better results.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of noninvasive long-term video-electroencephalographic monitoring in epilepsy surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis from the E-PILEPSY consortium.

The European Union-funded E-PILEPSY network (now continuing within the European Reference Network for rare and complex epilepsies [EpiCARE]) aims to harmonize and optimize presurgical diagnostic procedures by creating and implementing evidence-based guidelines across Europe. The present study evaluates the current evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of long-term video-electroencephalographic monitoring (LTM) in identifying the epileptogenic zone in epilepsy surgery candidates. MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for relevant articles. First, we used random-effects meta-analytical models to calculate pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity with respect to postsurgical seizure freedom. In a second phase, we analyzed individual patient data in an exploratory fashion, assessing diagnostic accuracy within lesional and nonlesional temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE) patients. We also evaluated seizure freedom rate in the presence of "localizing" or "nonlocalizing" LTM within each group. The quality of evidence was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool and the GRADE approach. Ninety-four studies were eligible. Forty-four were included in sensitivity meta-analysis and 34 in specificity meta-analysis. Pooled sensitivity was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60-0.80) and specificity was 0.40 (95% CI = 0.27-0.54). Subgroup analysis was based on individual data of 534 patients (41% men). In lesional TLE patients, sensitivity was 0.85 (95% CI = 0.81-0.89) and specificity was -0.19 (95% CI = 0.13-0.28). In lesional ETLE patients, a sensitivity of 0.47 (95% CI = 0.36-0.58) and specificity of 0.35 (95% CI = 0.21-0.53) were observed. In lesional TLE, if LTM was localizing and concordant with resection site, the seizure freedom rate was 247 of 333 (74%), whereas in lesional ETLE it was 34 of 56 (61%). The quality of evidence was assigned as "very low." Long-term video-electroencephalographic monitoring is associated with moderate sensitivity and low specificity in identification of the epileptogenic zone. Sensitivity is remarkably higher in lesional TLE compared to lesional ETLE. Substantial heterogeneity across the studies indicates the need for improved design and quality of reporting.

Paroxysmal events during prolonged video-electroencephalography monitoring in refractory epilepsy

IntroductionGiven that epileptic seizures and non-epileptic paroxysmal events have similar clinical manifestations, using specific diagnostic methods is crucial, especially in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Prolonged video electroencephalography monitoring during epileptic seizures reveals epileptiform discharges and has become an essential procedure for epilepsy diagnosis. The main purpose of this study is to characterise paroxysmal events and compare patterns in patients with refractory epilepsy. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records from 91 patients diagnosed with refractory epilepsy who underwent prolonged video electroencephalography monitoring during hospitalisation. ResultsDuring prolonged video electroencephalography monitoring, 76.9% of the patients (n=70) had paroxysmal events. The mean number of events was 3.4±2.7; the duration of these events was highly variable. Most patients (80%) experienced seizures during wakefulness. The most common events were focal seizures with altered levels of consciousness, progressive bilateral generalised seizures and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Regarding all paroxysmal events, no differences were observed in the number or type of events by sex, in duration by sex or age at onset, or in the number of events by type of event. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures were predominantly registered during wakefulness, lasted longer, started at older ages, and were more frequent in women. ConclusionsParoxysmal events recorded during prolonged video electroencephalography monitoring in patients with refractory epilepsy show similar patterns and characteristics to those reported in other latitudes.

Microdialysis of Excitatory Amino Acids During EEG Recordings in Freely Moving Rats.

Microdialysis is a well-established neuroscience technique that correlates the changes of neurologically active substances diffusing into the brain interstitial space with the behavior and/or with the specific outcome of a pathology (e.g., seizures for epilepsy). When studying epilepsy, the microdialysis technique is often combined with short-term or even long-term video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring to assess spontaneous seizure frequency, severity, progression and clustering. The combined microdialysis-EEG is based on the use of several methods and instruments. Here, we performed in vivo microdialysis and continuous video-EEG recording to monitor glutamate and aspartate outflow over time, in different phases of the natural history of epilepsy in a rat model. This combined approach allows the pairing of changes in the neurotransmitter release with specific stages of the disease development and progression. The amino acid concentration in the dialysate was determined by liquid chromatography. Here, we describe the methods and outline the principal precautionary measures one should take during in vivo microdialysis-EEG, with particular attention to the stereotaxic surgery, basal and high potassium stimulation during microdialysis, depth electrode EEG recording and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of aspartate and glutamate in the dialysate. This approach may be adapted to test a variety of drug or disease induced changes of the physiological concentrations of aspartate and glutamate in the brain. Depending on the availability of an appropriate analytical assay, it may be further used to test different soluble molecules when employing EEG recording at the same time.

Surgical and developmental outcomes of corpus callosotomy for West syndrome in patients without MRI lesions.

This retrospective study was designed to assess the impact of corpus callosotomy (CC) in patients with intractable West syndrome (WS) without lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study involved 56 patients with WS who underwent CC between January 2000 and December 2014. Seizure outcomes and changes in psychomotor development were analyzed. Mean age at the onset of epilepsy and at the time of CC was 5.1 and 22.6months, respectively. Mean duration of epilepsy before CC was 17.6months. Video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring showed bilateral ictal and interictal abnormalities before CC. Mean follow-up duration was 36.6months. At final follow-up, seizure outcomes after CC were seizure-free in 18 patients (32.1%), excellent (E: >80% reduction in seizure frequency) in 15 (26.8%), good (G: >50% reduction) in 10 (17.9%), and poor (P: <50% reduction) in 13 (23.2%). Epileptic spasms (ES) were eliminated in 24 patients (42.9%). However, tonic seizure (TS) outcomes were poor (P<0.05). Of preoperative predictive factors related to seizure outcome, developmental delay before epilepsy onset correlated with poor outcome (P<0.05). One year post-CC, 6 patients (10.7%) had no epileptic abnormality on EEG, 19 (33.9%) had lateralized epileptic abnormalities, and 31 (55.4%) had bilateral asynchronous epileptic abnormalities. All patients without epileptic discharge achieved seizure freedom. Fifteen of 19 (78.9%) patients in the lateralized group and 12 of 31 (38.7%) in the bilateral asynchronous group had worthwhile outcomes (F+E). The patterns of EEG changes after CC correlated with seizure outcome (P<0.01). Progressive declines in developmental quotient were prevented in patients with worthwhile outcomes. CC represents an important therapeutic option for patients with WS without resectable MRI lesions. Transcallosal seizure bilateralization is critical for bilateral ES generation. Early identification of potential CC candidates and surgical intervention are important for better seizure control and cognitive capacity preservation before severe developmental delay development.

Anti–High Mobility Group Box 1 Antibody Therapy May Prevent Cognitive Dysfunction After Traumatic Brain Injury

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein plays a key role in triggering inflammatory responses in many diseases. Our previous study showed that HMGB1 is found upstream of secondary damage in traumatic brain injury (TBI). We found that anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) effectively decreased acute brain damage, including the disruption of the blood-brain barrier, brain edema, and neurologic dysfunction. This effect of anti-HMGB1 mAb lasts for at least 1 week. In this study, we explored subacute effects of anti-HMGB1 mAb after TBI. TBI was induced in rats by fluid percussion. Anti-HMGB1 mAb or control mAb was given intravenously after TBI. Histochemical staining, plasma levels of HMGB1, motor activity and memory, and video electroencephalography monitoring were evaluated 2 weeks after fluid percussion injury. Anti-HMGB1 mAb remarkably attenuated accumulation of activated microglia in the rat cortex in the ipsilateral hemisphere after TBI. Anti-HMGB1 mAb also prevented neuronal death in the hippocampus in the ipsilateral hemisphere after TBI. Treatment of rats with anti-HMGB1 mAb inhibited HMGB1 translocation and suppressed impairment of motor function. The beneficial effects of anti-HMGB1 mAb on motor and cognitive function persisted for 14 days after injury. Treatment with anti-HMGB1 mAb also had positive effects on electroencephalography activity. The beneficial effects of anti-HMGB1 mAb continued during the subacute postinjury phase, suggesting that anti-HMGB1 mAb may prevent cognitive dysfunction after TBI.

Viewing their own seizures improves understanding of disease in people with epilepsy

BackgroundPeople with epilepsy (PWE) are frequently unable to recall the core manifestation of their disease, epileptic seizures. This limits their understanding of disease severity and social reactions to it. PurposeThe purpose of this study was to assess the effects of video presentation (VP) of one's own seizure and the role of seizure type/severity. MethodsNinety patients diagnosed with focal epilepsy undergoing diagnostic video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring were included. All participants were presented with a seizure of their predominant seizure type on videotape. Effects of viewing seizures were assessed using a questionnaire immediately after the VP (T1), after 3 days (T2), and after 3 months (T3). ResultsOf the participants, 97.6%, 87.2%, and 85.2% considered VP as helpful at T1, T2, and T3, respectively. Participants who viewed a more severe seizure tended to assess the VP as more helpful, related to an improved understanding of the disease and of reaction of others to their seizures. Of the participants, 11.5% and 5.0% perceived the VP as stressful at T2 and T3, respectively. Severity of the presented seizure was positively correlated to the level of stress induced, mostly because of a feeling of helplessness based on ictal loss of control. ConclusionsThe VP of the patients' own seizures is a way to improve the patients' knowledge on their disease, which was appreciated by the vast majority of participants. The VP of severe seizures was regarded more informative yet also more stressful. Further research is needed to examine possible effects on quality of life and compliance.

Abnormal sleep in patients with epileptic or dissociative (non-epileptic) seizures: a polysomnography study.

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of sleep disorders and measure the objective sleep quality in patients with seizure disorders. Patients admitted for video electroencephalography monitoring were prospectively recruited and polysomnography was performed on the third night of monitoring. A total of 4/44 (9%) patients with epilepsy and 2/22 (9%) patients with dissociative seizures were found to have mild sleep-disordered breathing. Three (7%) patients with epilepsy were found to have mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and three (14%) patients with dissociative seizures had mild or moderate OSAHS. Most patients with sleep-disordered breathing or OSAHS were overweight or obese. Time awake after sleep onset was high in both groups. There were no significant differences in sleep architecture between the groups except for a difference in average N3 sleep stage proportion. Periodic limb movements (PLMs) were common in both groups and 27% of patients with dissociative seizures had both high PLM rates and high arousal indices, suggesting a high prevalence of probable PLM disorder in that group (compared with 9% in the epilepsy group). Our findings contradict the commonly reported high comorbidity of OSAHS and epilepsy, and question its purported clinical relevance. High rates of PLMs were found in patients with dissociative seizures. In both patient groups, high awake after sleep onset times were indicative of sleep disruption, which can have an epileptogenic effect and is known to increase dissociative tendencies.

Integrating the systematic assessment of psychological states in the epilepsy monitoring unit: Concept and compliance

BackgroundAdmission to the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) for long-term video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring (VEEG) constitutes the gold standard for seizure diagnosis and presurgical evaluation. This study applied the concept of a high-frequency systematic monitoring of psychological states and tested patients' compliance in order to evaluate if its integration in the EMU is feasible and if patients benefit from the graphically underpinned discussion of their EMU stay-related cognitions and emotions. MethodsThe process-monitoring is technically realized by an internet-based device for data collection and data analysis, the Synergetic Navigation System (SNS). A convenient sample was enrolled: All eligible patients who were admitted to the EMU of the Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Medical Center, Salzburg, Austria, between November 6th 2017 and January 26th 2018 were approached and recruited upon consent. After a short resource-oriented interview, each enrolled patient was provided with a tablet. The daily questionnaire included eight standardized and up to three personalized items. Self-assessments were collected every 5 h prior to meal times (6:30 am, 11:30 am, and 4:30 pm) and at 9:30 pm. The detailed visualizations of the patients' replies were discussed with the participants during a feedback session at the end of the EMU stay. ResultsTwenty-one patients (12 women/9 men, median age 29 years [range 18–74 years]) were consecutively recruited (72% of all eligible patients). Compliance rates were high (median: 82%, range 60%–100%) among the respondents. Mood correlated strongly with hopefulness (r = 0.71) and moderately with energy (r = 0.63) in all patients. When correlating the intraindividual medians of the process questionnaire time series with the pretest total scores, energy correlated moderately and negatively with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (r = −0.45), while self-efficacy correlated moderately and negatively with the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E) total scores in all patients (r = −0.5). Nine patients (43%) reported that they learned something meaningful about themselves after the feedback discussion of their individual time series. ConclusionThe results support the feasibility of high-frequency monitoring of psychological states and processes in routine EMU settings. Repeated daily collections four times per day of psychological surveys allow for the assessment of highly resolved, equidistant time series data, which gives insight into psychological states and processes during EMU admission.

Leptomeningeal Enhancement Is Associated with Transient Neurologic Deficits after Flow Diversion of Intracranial Aneurysms

To evaluate the relationship between blood-brain barrier disruption and transient neurologic deficits (TNDs) after neuroendovascular interventions (NEIs) using postcontrast T2/FLAIR (pcFLAIR) imaging. This is a prospective study of 41 consecutive patients undergoing flow diversion therapy for unruptured aneurysm treatment. Patients underwent postprocedural magnetic resonance imaging within 24 hours of the procedure, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and pcFLAIR sequences. Regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for developing TNDs. In total, 13 patients (31.7%) developed neurologic complications ranging from visual field defects to dense hemiplegia. All deficits were transient, resolving spontaneously within 72 hours. Five of 13 patients (38.5%) with TNDs had presence of lesions on DWI whereas the remaining 8 patients (61.5%) did not. In contrast, all patients who developed TNDs had leptomeningeal enhancement on pcFLAIR imaging, and no patient with normal pcFLAIR imaging developed TNDs. Regression analysis revealed the extent of pcFLAIR enhancement is associated with development of postprocedure neurologic deficits (P < 0.0001). Video electroencephalography monitoring was performed in 4 symptomatic patients manifesting severe deficits. In all instances electroencephalography demonstrated ipsilateral hemispheric slowing and eventual resolution corresponding to ensuing clinical improvement. Only 1 of these 4 patients presented with a lesion on DWI. This study challenges conventional dogma that TNDs are ischemic in etiology and suggests blood-brain barrier impairment may be a potential alternative mechanism. These findings are applicable to stroke and other reversible neurologic diseases.

ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC PRESENTATION AT ICTAL AND POSTICTAL PERIODS OF EPILEPTIC SEIZURE

In epilepsy patients during video-electroencephalographic monitoring there are various electrocardiographic (ECG) changes during the epileptic seizure, sometimes remaining at postictal period as well. In the literature, various cardiac rhythm and conduction disorders are described, ventricular and supraventricular disorders, ST segment shifts. Some among these might be life-threatening, probably leading to unexplained sudden death in epilepsy. In the review, we focus on the most common ECG changes in patients with ongoing epileptic seizures.

Unusual ictal propagation patterns suggesting poor prognosis after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: Switch of lateralization and bilateral asynchrony

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate unusual ictal propagation patterns in patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and reveal their electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and prognostic properties after surgery. MethodsAmong 248 patients with TLE who underwent scalp video-electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring, 24 patients with ‘switch of lateralization’ or ‘bilateral asynchrony’ in at least one of their seizures (9.3%) were analyzed retrospectively. The postoperative outcome was determined in 16 patients who had undergone epilepsy surgery. ResultsAll but 5 of the included patients had hippocampal sclerosis (HS) as their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Twelve out of 16 patients (75%) who had surgery were seizure-free for at least 1 year. Nine out of 12 patients (75%) with good outcome had unilateral interictal EEG discharges in temporal regions whereas 3 out of 4 patients with poor outcome had bilateral temporal interictal spiking (p = 0.018). ConclusionUnusual ictal propagation patterns are not always related to poor prognosis after surgery in patients with TLE. Patients with unilateral interictal spiking in the temporal region tend to have good outcome despite these unusual patterns. These patterns can also be seen in patients with TLE with other etiologies besides the well-known HS in MRI.

Improved Detection and Classification of Convulsive Epileptic and Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures Using FLDA and Bayesian Inference.

A high number of patients with epileptic seizures (ES) are misdiagnosed due to prevalence of mimic conditions. The clinical characteristics of mimics are often similar to ES. The events mostly misdiagnosed are of psychogenic origin and are termed as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). The gold standard for diagnosis of PNES is video-electroencephalography monitoring (VEM), which is a resource demanding process. Hence, need for a more object method of PNES diagnosis is created. Accelerometer sensors have been used previously for the diagnosis of ES. In this work, we present a new approach for detection and classification of PNES using wrist-worn accelerometer device. Various time, frequency and wavelet space features are extracted from the accelerometry signal. Feature compression is then performed using Fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLDA). A Bayesian classifier is then trained using kernel estimator method. The algorithm was trained and tested on data collected from 16 patients undergoing VEM. When tested, the algorithm detected all seizures with 20 false alarms and correctly classified 100% PNES and 75% ES, respectively of the detected seizures.

Computer-based monitoring and evaluation of epilepsy-related health variables and their impact on treatment decision

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the effectiveness of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) with focus on epilepsy-specific quality of life, psychiatric and psychosocial burden, drug side effects, and patient satisfaction via the Computer-based Health Evaluation System (CHES) and to evaluate their impact on treatment regimen. MethodsForty consecutive patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy undergoing prolonged video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring at the Department of Neurology, Innsbruck Medical University were included and randomized to an intervention group (questionnaire results accessible to the physicians) and a control group (questionnaire results inaccessible to the physicians). Patients had to complete questionnaires on the day of admission (T0) and the day of discharge (T1). ResultsOverall, twenty-five patients (25/40, 62.5%) showed abnormal assessment results, twelve of them exclusively due to pathological scores on the Liverpool Adverse Events Profile (LAEP). Mean LAEP score was within the pathological range of 48.8 points (48.8 ± 7.2). The psychosocial burden with respect to the Performance, Socio-Demographic Aspects, Subjective Evaluation (PESOS) scale “fear” (48.7 ± 21.4) was also moderately affected. Moreover, mean anxiety (9.1 ± 4.4) and depression (7.6 ± 4.5) scores were both slightly abnormal. Quality of life (as measured using the Quality of Life Inventory in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31)) was moderately impaired (seizure worry: 46.5 ± 21.3, overall quality of life: 52.6 ± 18.6, well-being: 54.1 ± 16.3, energy–fatigue: 39.4 ± 14.7, cognitive functioning: 41.4 ± 19.5, medication effects: 46.2 ± 23.4, social functioning: 51.1 ± 20.8, and total score: 47.2 ± 12.3). Careful medical history-taking and patient–physician consultations alone failed to detect needs for psychological/psychiatric help in three out of 7 patients in the control group (42.8%). Changes over time in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and QOLIE-31 scores were not significant. ConclusionThe use of ePROs was feasible and well accepted in the clinical setting. Treatment-associated adverse effects were the most frequently reported health-related restrictions. In particular, psychometric evaluation by applying ePROs can detect health-related problems in patients with epilepsy.

Predictive factors of higher drug load for seizure freedom in idiopathic generalized epilepsy: Comparison between juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and other types

PurposePredictive factors of higher drug load for seizure freedom were investigated in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), focusing on the difference between juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and other types of IGE (non-JME IGE). MethodsTwelve patients with JME and 12 patients with non-JME IGE, who achieved seizure freedom for 1 year or longer with appropriate antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) after video electroencephalography monitoring, were reviewed retrospectively. The sum of prescribed daily dose/defined daily dose ratio of all prescribed AEDs at the final visit was defined as total AED load. Patients requiring total AED load >1 were classified into the higher AED load group. Clinical background and the presence of interictal focal epileptiform abnormalities (FEAs) were compared between the higher and lower AED load groups. ResultsHigher AED load group of patients with JME had interictal FEAs and family history of epilepsy more frequently than the lower AED load group (p = 0.03 and p = 0.03). Similar comparison of patients with non-JME IGE showed no significant differences. ConclusionsThe presence of interictal FEAs and a family history of epilepsy are significantly associated variables for higher AED load for seizure freedom in patients with JME, but not in patients with non-JME IGE.

Using of cerebrolysin in patients with epilepsy

Objective: to assess the efficiency and tolerability of cerebrolysin in patients with epilepsy. Materials and methods. Sixty six epileptic patients with low Montreal Cognitive Assessment results (less than 26 scores) were studied. The examination included neurologic examination, routine electroencephalography and/or video-electroencephalography monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, assessment of clinical and biochemical blood tests. Criteria for exclusion were processual brain damage and noncompliance. All patients were assigned cerebrolysin 10 ml intravenous, an assessment of seizures frequency and cognitive functions was performed 1 and 3 months after the 1st visit. All the procedures of the study were performed by 38 patients out of 66. Results. In a group of patients with Alzheimer’s dementia there was a statistically insignificant tendency to decrease the final score over time (obviously associated with the progression of the disease); in the group of patients with brain damage the results of testing were improved, presumably related to the processes of neuroplasticity induced by cerebrolysin. Conclusion. Our results suggest that cerebrolysin is well tolerated and does not increase the frequency of epileptic seizures in patients with stable epilepsy (with no risk of developing status epilepticus) and cognitive disorders.

S10-4. Role of the medical doctors in longterm VIDO-EEG monitoring

Long-term video-electroencephalography monitoring (LTM) in epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs) is an essential and most meaningful investigation for diagnosis of epilepsy, classification of epileptic seizures and pre-surgical evaluation of patients with intractable localization-related epilepsy. The tapering of antiepileptic drugs is commonly used to record seizures efficiently. However, this practice may expose patients to serious adverse events, such as falls, status epilepticus, psychiatric complication, cardiac events and pulmonary complications. The issue of patients’ safety during LTM is one of the most important tasks. Before the starting of the LTM, the patients’ information (seizure type and frequency, history of seizure clusters, status epilepticus, and postictalpsychosis, number, dosage, and type of AEDs) must be shared in multidisciplinary conference, Based on these information, the AED tapering and safety plan should be developed for each patient. Furthermore, staff education improve patients’ supervision by nurses and EEG technicians, and immediate review of adverse events. The information and knowledge sharing by all the EMU staff might be most important for the patients‘ safety and efficient seizure recording.

An objective score to identify psychogenic seizures based on age of onset and history

ObjectivePsychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) is a common diagnosis after evaluation of medication resistant or atypical seizures with video-electroencephalographic monitoring (VEM), but usually follows a long delay after the development of seizures, during which patients are treated for epilepsy. Therefore, more readily available diagnostic tools are needed for earlier identification of patients at risk for PNES. A tool based on patient-reported psychosocial history would be especially beneficial because it could be implemented in the outpatient clinic. MethodsBased on the data from 1375 patients with VEM-confirmed diagnoses, we used logistic regression to compare the frequency of specific patient-reported historical events, demographic information, age of onset, and delay from first seizure until VEM in five mutually exclusive groups of patients: epileptic seizures (ES), PNES, physiologic nonepileptic seizure-like events (PSLE), mixed PNES plus ES, and inconclusive monitoring. To determine the diagnostic utility of this information to differentiate PNES only from ES only, we used multivariate piecewise-linear logistic regression trained using retrospective data from chart review and validated based on data from 246 prospective standardized interviews. ResultsThe prospective area under the curve of our weighted multivariate piecewise-linear by-sex score was 73%, with the threshold that maximized overall retrospective accuracy resulting in a prospective sensitivity of 74% (95% CI: 70–79%) and prospective specificity of 71% (95% CI: 64–82%). The linear model and piecewise linear without an interaction term for sex had very similar performance statistics. In the multivariate piecewise-linear sex-split predictive model, the significant factors positively associated with ES were history of febrile seizures, current employment or active student status, history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and longer delay from first seizure until VEM. The significant factors associated with PNES were female sex, older age of onset, mild TBI, and significant stressful events with sexual abuse, in particular, increasing the likelihood of PNES. Delays longer than 20years, age of onset after 31years for men, and age of onset after 40years for women had no additional effect on the likelihood of PNES. DiscussionOur promising results suggest that an objective score has the potential to serve as an early outpatient screening tool to identify patients with greater likelihood of PNES when considered in combination with other factors. In addition, our analysis suggests that sexual abuse, more than other psychological stressors including physical abuse, is more associated with PNES. There was a trend of increasing frequency of PNES for women during childbearing years and plateauing outside those years that was not observed in men.

A novel use of the NeuroBlate SideFire probe for minimally invasive disconnection of a hypothalamic hamartoma in a child with gelastic seizures.

The authors describe the case of a 22-month-old boy who presented with gelastic seizures and developmental delay. Magnetic resonance imaging and video-electroencephalography monitoring revealed a primarily intraventricular hypothalamic hamartoma and gelastic seizures occurring 20-30 times daily. The patient was treated with various regimens of antiepileptic medications for 16 months, but the seizures remained medically intractable. At 3 years of age, he underwent stereotactic laser ablation with an aim of disconnection of the lesion. The procedure was performed with the NeuroBlate SideFire probe. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported use of this technology for this procedure and serves as proof of concept. There were no perioperative complications, and 2 years postprocedure, the patient remains seizure free with marked behavioral and cognitive improvements.