Hashimoto encephalopathy or neurosarcoidosis? A case report.

Hashimoto encephalopathy (HE) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by symptoms of acute or subacute encephalopathy associated with increased antithyroid antibody levels. Neurosarcoidosis is also a rare entity that occurs in less than 5% of patients with systemic sarcoidosis. Neurosarcoidosis usually presents with cranial neuropathies, myelopathy, or new-onset seizure.

Predictors of a nondiagnostic epilepsy monitoring study and yield of repeat study.

Objective: Failure to record typical events during long-term video/EEG monitoring (LTM) leaves the diagnosis uncertain. The purpose of this study was to analyze predictors of an initial nondiagnostic LTM study and to evaluate the yield of a repeat study.

Methods: We reviewed all adult LTM studies performed at Vanderbilt University from January 2004 to June 2008.

A structured questionnaire predicts if convulsions are epileptic or nonepileptic.

Objective: Therapy for convulsive seizures is usually initiated on the basis of clinical assessment, without video/EEG confirmation, but a nonepileptic origin may eventually be demonstrated. This study evaluates the diagnostic value of a witness-questionnaire in distinguishing between convulsive epileptic seizures (CES) and convulsive nonepileptic seizures (CNES).

Methods: We prospectively identified all adult patients admitted for video/EEG evaluation of convulsive attacks and interviewed the "best" witness using 12 questions on ictal and postictal features.