Seizures associated with dural arteriovenous fistulas: A systematic review of cases.

Objective: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are an unusual cause of seizures. In this systematic review, we aim to describe the clinical features, paraclinical findings, management, and prognosis of cases of DAVF-related seizures, raising awareness for a potentially treatable cause of epilepsy.

Methods: This review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024529316).

New-onset Vascular Events in Older People with Epilepsy Over Six Years: A Cohort Study of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) (S19.010).

Objective: We aimed to estimate (1) the odds of new-onset vascular events (VEs) over six years in people with epilepsy (PWE) versus without epilepsy and (2) the mediation effects of the use of enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications (EIASMs) and vascular risk factors on the association between epilepsy and new-onset VEs.

Background: There is evidence that there exists a bidirectional relationship between epilepsy and vascular disease. A higher incidence of VEs in PWE could be explained by EIASM use and worse vascular health due to socioeconomic factors.

Cardiac Conduction Delay for Sodium Channel Antagonist Antiseizure Medications: An Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Background And Objectives: People with epilepsy are at risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Whether this association results from epilepsy, antiseizure medications (ASMs) such as sodium channel blockers (NABs), or other factors has not been systematically assessed. The aims of this study were to quantify the odds of cardiac conduction delays (CCDs) on electrocardiogram in older people with active epilepsy using vs not using NABs, to determine the prevalence of CCDs by NABs, and to examine the association of demographic and clinical factors with CCDs.

Under-recognised neurocognitive deficits in adults and adolescents with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease characterised by the growth of benign tumours. The Tuberous sclerosis Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TAND) Checklist is used to identify patient-reported neurocognitive deficits. Patients may, however, under-recognise mild cognitive impairment.

Distinct peripheral pro-inflammatory profile associated with tuberous sclerosis complex and epilepsy.

Objective: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a monogenetic disorder associated with sustained mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation, leading to heterogeneous clinical manifestations. Epilepsy and renal angiomyolipoma are the most important causes of morbidity in adult people with TSC (pwTSC). mTOR is a key player in inflammation, which in turn could influence TSC-related clinical manifestations.

Antiseizure Medications and Cardiovascular Events in Older People With Epilepsy in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Importance: How epilepsy may promote cardiovascular disease remains poorly understood.

Objective: To estimate the odds of new-onset cardiovascular events (CVEs) over 6 years in older people with vs without epilepsy, exploring how enzyme-inducing antiseizure medications (EIASMs) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors mediate these odds.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This was a prospective cohort study using the comprehensive cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), with 6 years of follow-up (2015-2021, analysis performed in December 2023).

Creating an Empirical Dermatology Dataset Through Crowdsourcing With Web Search Advertisements.

Importance: Health datasets from clinical sources do not reflect the breadth and diversity of disease, impacting research, medical education, and artificial intelligence tool development. Assessments of novel crowdsourcing methods to create health datasets are needed.

Objective: To evaluate if web search advertisements (ads) are effective at creating a diverse and representative dermatology image dataset.

Intervention time and adverse events in a canadian epilepsy monitoring unit: An updated audit.

Background: Optimizing patient safety in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) has become a topic of increasing interest. We performed an audit of our center's new single-floor EMU, assessing intervention rate (IR), intervention time (IT), and adverse events (AEs).

Methods: A prospective study was conducted on all clinical seizures of patients admitted over a one-year period at our Canadian academic tertiary care center's new single-floor EMU.

Do we intervene less and slower in the epilepsy monitoring unit for psychogenic seizures?

Purpose: Individuals with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) can be stigmatized in healthcare settings. We aimed to compare intervention rate (IR), intervention time (IT), and adverse event (AE) rate between PNES and epileptic seizures (ES) in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU).

Methods: We used a prospective database of consecutive admissions to our centre's EMU between August 2021 and September 2022.

Outcome of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures following diagnosis in the epilepsy monitoring unit.

Objective: To study the outcome of patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) after their diagnosis in the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU).

Methods: Patients diagnosed in our EMU with definite PNES between January 2009 and May 2023 were contacted by phone, and those who agreed to participate were asked a set of predetermined questions. Comparative analyses were carried out on several variables before and after diagnosis: number of participants with daily PNES, number of visits to the emergency department, number of participants who consulted their general practitioner or a neurologist outside of a scheduled follow-up, number of participants who took antiseizure medications (ASMs) or psychotropic drugs, and employment status.

Nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage on noncontrast head CT: An accuracy, inter-rater, and intra-rater reliability study.

Background And Purpose: To evaluate the reliability and accuracy of nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (NAPSAH) on Noncontrast Head CT (NCCT) between numerous raters.

Materials And Methods: 45 NCCT of adult patients with SAH who also had a catheter angiography (CA) were independently evaluated by 48 diverse raters; 45 raters performed a second assessment one month later. For each case, raters were asked: 1) whether they judged the bleeding pattern to be perimesencephalic; 2) whether there was blood anterior to brainstem; 3) complete filling of the anterior interhemispheric fissure (AIF); 4) extension to the lateral part of the sylvian fissure (LSF); 5) frank intraventricular hemorrhage; 6) whether in the hypothetical presence of a negative CT angiogram they would still recommend CA.

The performance of bibliometric analyses in the health sciences.

A bibliometric analysis (BA) is a knowledge synthesis methodology aimed at quantitively summarizing large amounts of bibliometric data. We aimed to summarize the performance of BAs in the health sciences. We searched Scopus for BAs in the health sciences published prior to May 10, 2023.

Localizing and lateralizing value of auditory phenomena in seizures.

Background: Auditory seizures (AS) are a rare type of focal seizures. AS are classically thought to involve a seizure onset zone (SOZ) in the temporal lobe, but there remain uncertainties about their localizing and lateralizing value. We conducted a narrative literature review with the aim of providing an up-to-date description of the lateralizing and localizing value of AS.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP): A bibliometric analysis.

Objective: The literature on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has been evolving at a staggering rate. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of the SUDEP literature with the aim of presenting its structure, performance, and trends.

Methods: The Scopus database was searched in April 2023 for documents explicitly detailing SUDEP in their title, abstract, or keywords.

Patient Safety in Canadian Epilepsy Monitoring Units: A Survey of Current Practices.

Background: Guidelines on epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) standards have been recently published. We aimed to survey Canadian EMUs to describe the landscape of safety practices and compare these to the recommendations from the new guidelines.

Methods: A 34-item survey was created by compiling questions on EMU structure, patient monitoring, equipment, personnel, standardized protocol use, and use of injury prevention tools.

Epilepsy and cerebral developmental venous anomalies (DVAs): A systematic review.

Objective: Cerebral developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are frequent and rarely symptomatic. When symptomatic, DVAs may present with seizures; however, little is known about the characteristics of DVA-related epilepsy. In this systematic review, we aim to describe the clinical and paraclinical features of patients with DVA-related epilepsy.

Use of non-medical cannabis in epilepsy: A scoping review.

Objective: The use of medical cannabis among people with epilepsy (PWE) has been garnering increasing interest. In this scoping review, we aimed to summarize the literature on recreational/non-medical cannabis (NMC) use in PWE, focusing on the experience, habits, and beliefs of PWE regarding NMC.

Methods: Four databases (OVID Medline, OVID Embase, Ovid APA PsycInfo, and Web of Science) were searched for studies describing NMC use in PWE.

Usage of Genetic Panels in an Adult Epilepsy Clinic.

Background: There is limited data on the utility, yield, and cost efficiency of genetic testing in adults with epilepsy. We aimed to describe the yield and utility of genetic panels in our adult epilepsy clinic.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional study of all patients followed by an epileptologist at a Canadian tertiary care centre's epilepsy clinic between January 2016 and August 2021 for whom a genetic panel was ordered.

Insular Involvement in Cases of Epilepsy Surgery Failure.

Background: Epilepsy surgery failure is not uncommon, with several explanations having been proposed. In this series, we detail cases of epilepsy surgery failure subsequently attributed to insular involvement.

Methods: We retrospectively identified patients investigated at the epilepsy monitoring units of two Canadian tertiary care centers (2004-2020).