Does treatment in an epilepsy clinic affect epilepsy-related admissions?

Background: Epilepsy-related emergency hospitalizations are associated with risks to patients. Neurologist ambulatory care can improve seizure control and decrease the rates of ED visits and emergency hospitalizations.

Aims: To evaluate the etiologies for emergency epilepsy-related admissions in patients with and without prior epilepsy clinic follow-up, and to identify possible factors that may influence admission rates.

Bone Mineral Density Screening in People With Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability.

Vitamin D measurements and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans are recommended in people with intellectual disability and/or epilepsy in order to prevent bone-linked harm. The prevalence of vitamin D supplementation and bone mineral density screening were evaluated in 68 people with epilepsy and intellectual disability (EID) and 68 matched controls with epilepsy without intellectual disability. DXA scans were not performed in any of the people with EID but were performed in 11.

Primary treatment gap among adults with epilepsy: A cross-sectional analysis.

Objective: Despite recommendations to initiate antiseizure medication treatment once the diagnosis of epilepsy is confirmed, a certain proportion of patients with epilepsy who should receive antiseizure medication treatment remain untreated. We aimed to evaluate the rate of and the reasons for the treatment gap in patients with epilepsy who were referred to their first visit in our epilepsy clinic.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the computerized database and the medical records of all the patients with epilepsy who had their first visit in our outpatient epilepsy clinic during a 10-year period (2012-2021).

Folic acid supplementation in women of childbearing age with epilepsy: No association with type or number of antiepileptic drugs.

Background: For over two decades, a daily folic acid (FA) supplementation has been recommended for women of childbearing age with epilepsy. This recommendation is based on evidence that FA administration before conception and during pregnancy can decrease the risk of fetal malformations in the general population, improve cognitive development, and reduce the risk of autistic traits in children exposed in utero to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate FA supplementation rate in nonpregnant women of childbearing age with epilepsy and its relation to AED type and number.

Antiepileptic Drug Treatment in Community-Dwelling Older Patients with Epilepsy: A Retrospective Observational Study of Old- Versus New-Generation Antiepileptic Drugs.

Introduction: The use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in older patients with epilepsy is challenged by polypharmacy and decreased drug elimination. Newer AEDs have a lower potential for drug interactions and are reported to be better tolerated by the elderly than old-generation AEDs.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate AED use and the related adverse event rate in an outpatient cohort of older patients with epilepsy.

The yield of non-elective inpatient video-EEG monitoring in adults.

Background: Inpatient video-EEG monitoring (VEM) can contribute to the diagnosis and treatment in many of the monitored patients. Most admissions to VEM are elective and are scheduled ahead before the monitoring session.

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the yield of non-elective VEM sessions.

How valuable is inpatient electroencephalogram for medical decision-making?

Background: The electroencephalogram (EEG) can support the diagnosis of epilepsy, diagnose nonconvulsive status epilepticus and aid in the classification of epileptic seizures. Its contribution to the diagnosis of other medical conditions or to decision-making in other clinical situations was not established. Practically, EEG laboratories frequently encounter EEG referrals that are not based on current recommendations.

The effects of immediate and short-term retest on the latencies and amplitudes of the auditory event-related potentials in healthy adults.

Objective: To evaluate the immediate and short-term effects of repeated within session trials on N1, P2, N2 and P3 latencies and P2, N2 and P3 amplitudes in healthy adults.

Materials And Methods: ERPs were elicited by the auditory oddball paradigm and recorded over Fz, Cz and Pz in 18 healthy adults over two sessions, one to three days apart, and two within session trials with one to three minutes trial-retrial interval. The ERPs' latencies and amplitudes were blindly calculated and were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures.

Quality of life in seizure-free patients with epilepsy on monotherapy.

Epilepsy is a multifaceted chronic disorder which has diverse and complex effects on the well-being of the patient. Although it is evident that seizure type and frequency play a critical role in the quality of life (QOL) of patients with epilepsy, it is less clear what the major determinants are that influence QOL in seizure-free patients receiving monotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors influencing the QOL of seizure-free patients receiving monotherapy.

Phenytoin intoxication in a clozapine-related prolonged seizure.

Phenytoin is a first-line drug for the treatment of status epilepticus. We report a case of phenytoin intoxication after intravenous phenytoin loading in a patient with clozapine-related seizures. To our knowledge, this is the first description of phenytoin intoxication due to CYP2C9 inhibition by clozapine.

Delayed post-ictal event-related potentials do not differentiate between generalized tonic-clonic seizures and syncope.

Background: The differentiation between generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) and syncope is an important clinical problem. Corroborative investigations, which are requested when history is unclear or insufficient, have limited diagnostic value. The aim of our study was to determine whether auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) can be utilized in post-event differentiation between GTCS and syncope.

[Epilepsy surgery].

Epilepsy consists of recurrent seizures, which are not caused by reversible or transient metabolic or toxic etiologies. Approximately a third of the patients have medical refractory epilepsy and experience a decreased quality of life. In addition, these patients are subjected to increased risks of physical injury and death.

Palpitations: could they be neurogenic? A case report.

Background: Palpitations usually occur in patients with arrhythmias of cardiac origion, in conditions associated with increased catecholamine levels, and in psychiatric disorders. A rare etiology of palpitations is seizures with autonomic features.

Review Summary: We report a 24-year-old man with a several-week history of episodic palpitations, weakness, dizziness, and presyncopal phenomena.