Challenges faced by people with epilepsy on ketogenic diet therapy and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Background: Although ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) is a well-established, nonpharmacologic therapeutic option for patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy, its availability is still not widespread. The COVID-19 pandemic may have further restricted the access of people with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (PWE) to KDT. Thus, we evaluated the experiences of Brazilian PWE and their caregivers during the first year of the pandemic.

Patients with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic: Depressive symptoms and their association with healthcare access.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak impacted the lives of worldwide people with epilepsy (PWE) in various aspects, particularly in those countries most significantly affected by this pandemic, such as Brazil. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in PWE and their correlation with epilepsy features and access to treatment.

Methods: PWE were invited to answer a cross-sectional online-based survey to assess and rate depressive symptoms using the NDDI-E during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and its relation to multiple lifestyles epilepsy clinical aspects.

Perceptions of Modulatory Factors in Migraine and Epilepsy: A Multicenter Study.

Migraine and epilepsy are both common episodic disorders, typically precipitated or inhibited by some modulatory factors (MFs). To assess the self-perception of MFs in patients with migraine (PWM) compared to patients with epilepsy (PWE) with a standardized protocol in different countries. Transcultural multicenter comparative cross-sectional study.

Challenges in telemedicine for adult patients with drug-resistant epilepsy undergoing ketogenic diet treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic in the public healthcare system in Brazil.

Hygienic and sanitary measures and social distancing policies implemented during the new coronavirus disease - COVID-19 - pandemic have altered the care and follow-up provided by healthcare professionals for patients with chronic diseases, including patients with epilepsy (PWEs). Telemedicine has become a solution for the healthcare of PWEs in many developed countries. In this short communication, we trace a particular perspective for the application of telemedicine for PWEs undergoing ketogenic diet (KD) treatment, considering the social and economic difficulties faced by healthcare teams in resource-poor countries, such as Brazil.

Cardiometabolic risk and effectiveness of the modified Atkins Ketogenic Diet for adult patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsies in a middle-income country.

A ketogenic diet may be a therapeutic option for approximately one third of patients with epilepsy. These patients continue to have seizures despite suitable pharmacological treatment. Regardless of the diet's therapeutic potential regarding seizure control, adverse events may coexist.

Seizure precipitants and inhibiting factors in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Epileptic seizures may be triggered by both nonspecific facilitating factors and specific reflex epileptic mechanisms. These consist of sensory or cognitive inputs activating neural networks that, due to some functional instability, may respond with an epileptic discharge. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and nature of self-perceived seizure-inducing and -inhibiting factors in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) followed from March 3rd to December 8th, 2009 at the Centro de Epilepsia de Santa Catarina Outpatient Clinic of the Hospital Governador Celso Ramos in Florianópolis, Brazil and their relation to demographics, epilepsy-related variables and anxiety level.

Epilepsy and occupational accidents in Brazil: a national statistics study.

Epilepsy may restrict the patient's daily life. It causes lower quality of life and increased risk for work-related accidents (WRA). The aim of this study is to analyze the implantation of the Epidemiologic and Technical Security System Nexus (ETSSN) and WRA patterns among patients with epilepsy.