Home video telemetry in children: A comparison to inpatient video telemetry.

Purpose: Home Video Telemetry (HVT) combines ambulatory EEG with simultaneous video recording. No previous reports have compared HVT and inpatient video telemetry (IVT) in a purely paediatric population. This study compares HVT and IVT in this group in terms of diagnostic efficacy, recording quality and acceptability to parents/carers.

Sleep deprivation and melatonin for inducing sleep in paediatric electroencephalography: a prospective multicentre service evaluation.

Aim: To compare the efficacy of the main methodologies in attaining sleep and electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in children with a view to producing recommendations on best practice.

Method: Fifty-one UK centres participated. Methods for sleep induction (sleep deprivation, melatonin, and combined sleep deprivation/melatonin) were compared.

Current practice and recommendations in UK epilepsy monitoring units. Report of a national survey and workshop.

Purpose: Inpatient video-EEG monitoring (VEM) is an important investigation in patients with seizures or blackouts, and in the pre-surgical workup of patients with epilepsy. There has been an expansion in the number of Epilepsy Monitoring Units (EMU) in the UK offering VEM with a necessary increase in attention on quality and safety. Previous surveys have shown variation across centres on issues including consent and patient monitoring.

The role of cranial and thoracic electromyography within diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Introduction: The contribution of cranial and thoracic region electromyography (EMG) to diagnostic criteria for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has not been evaluated.

Methods: Clinical and EMG data from each craniospinal region were retrospectively assessed in 470 patients; 214 had ALS. Changes to diagnostic classification in Awaji-Shima and revised El Escorial criteria after withdrawal of cranial/thoracic EMG data were ascertained.

The value of long term EEG monitoring in children: a comparison of ambulatory EEG and video telemetry.

Purpose: Outpatient ambulatory EEG may be followed by inpatient video telemetry EEG when investigating children for possible seizures and for classification of epilepsy. We investigated the value of ambulatory EEG and subsequent video telemetry recording in our centre.

Method: The departmental EEG database was interrogated retrospectively for children undergoing ambulatory recording followed by inpatient video telemetry within an 18-month period.

The value of home video with ambulatory EEG: a prospective service review.

Purpose: The demand for long term EEG monitoring is increasing with the emphasis on recording patients' attacks. Outpatient ambulatory EEG is relatively inexpensive and widely available. The main disadvantage of the technique is the lack of video which can make interpretation of an ictus difficult.

Outcome of children with hyperventilation-induced high-amplitude rhythmic slow activity with altered awareness.

Hyperventilation-induced high-amplitude rhythmic slow activity with altered awareness (HIHARS) is increasingly being identified in children and is thought to be an age-related non-epileptic electrographic phenomenon. We retrospectively investigated the clinical outcome in 15 children (six males, nine females) with HIHARS (mean age 7y, SD 1y 11mo; range 4y 6mo-11y). The presenting feature in 11 cases was blank spells - two of these children also had generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) - and in one individual the main concern was deteriorating school performance.

Stretch syncope: reflex vasodepressor faints easily mistaken for epilepsy.

The pathophysiology of stretch syncope is demonstrated through the clinical, electrophysiological, and hemodynamic findings in three patients. Fifty-seven attacks were captured by video/EEG monitoring. Simultaneous EEG, transcranial (middle cerebral artery) doppler, and continuous arterial pressure measurements were obtained for at least one typical attack of each patient.

Myopathy associated with gluten sensitivity.

Ataxia and peripheral neuropathy are the most common neurological manifestations of gluten sensitivity. Myopathy is a less common and poorly characterized additional neurological manifestation of gluten sensitivity. We present our experience with 13 patients who presented with symptoms and signs suggestive of a myopathy and in whom investigation led to the diagnosis of gluten sensitivity.

Dietary treatment of gluten neuropathy.

We studied the effect of a gluten-free diet in patients with idiopathic sensorimotor axonal neuropathy and circulating antigliadin antibodies. Consecutive patients underwent baseline neurophysiological assessment and were offered a gluten-free diet. Those who went on the diet formed the intention-to-treat group and those who did not were the control group.