Diagnostic utility of an epilepsy monitoring unit

Am J Med Qual. 2007 Mar-Apr;22(2):117-22. doi: 10.1177/1062860606298295.

Abstract

Guidelines recommend that patients with persist- ent seizures not responsive to standard antiepileptic drugs after 1 year be referred to specialized epilepsy centers for evaluation, which may include inpatient video-electroencephalographic monitoring. This 1-year retrospective, limited-focus review of 213 admissions and 3-year postdischarge review of epilepsy surgery referrals sought to determine if admission to an inpatient adult epilepsy monitoring unit resulted in a definitive diagnosis, a change in diagnosis or treatment, and whether referral patterns were consistent with guidelines. The median duration of time since symptom onset prior to admission was 15 years. At discharge, 87.8% of admissions received a definitive diagnosis. Epilepsy was diagnosed in 73.3% and excluded in 21.6%. Admissions without epilepsy had been treated with antiepileptic drugs for a median of 9 years. Admission resulted in change in treatment in 79%. This review documents the diagnostic utility of an epilepsy monitoring unit while highlighting that time since symptom onset to admission exceeded established guidelines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Hospitalization*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Monitoring, Physiologic / methods*
  • Quality of Health Care
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Videotape Recording

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants