tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Clin Neurophysiol
. 2022 May 11;139:106-113.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.05.003. Online ahead of print.
Seizure control during the COVID-19 pandemic: Correlating Responsive Neurostimulation System data with patient reports
Cemal Karakas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ryan Ward[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mohamed Hegazy[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Henry Skrehot[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Zulfi Haneef[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objective: To understand the impact of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on seizure frequency in persons with epilepsy with a Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) system implanted.
Methods: Weekly long episode counts (LEC) were used as a proxy for seizures for six months pre-COVID-19 and during the COVID-19 period. Telephone surveys and chart reviews were conducted to assess patient mental health during the pandemic. The change in LEC between the two time periods was correlated to reported stressors.
Results: Twenty patients were included. Comparing the pre-COVID-19 period to the COVID-19 period, we found that only 5 (25%) patients had increased seizures, which was positively correlated with change in anti-seizure medications (ASM, p = 0.03) and bitemporal seizures (p = 0.03). Increased seizures were not correlated to anxiety (p = 1.00), depression (p = 0.58), and sleep disturbances (p = 1.00). The correlation between RNS-detected and patient-reported seizures was poor (p = 0.32).
Conclusions: Most of our patients did not have an increase in seizures following the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in ASM and bitemporal seizures were positively correlated to increased LEC. There was no correlation between pandemic-related stress and seizures in those found to have increased seizures.
Significance: This is the first study correlating RNS-derived objective LECs with patient self-reports and potential seizure risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; Epilepsy; Long episode; Pandemic; RNS; Stressor.
. 2022 May 11;139:106-113.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.05.003. Online ahead of print.
Seizure control during the COVID-19 pandemic: Correlating Responsive Neurostimulation System data with patient reports
Cemal Karakas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ryan Ward[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Mohamed Hegazy[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Henry Skrehot[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Zulfi Haneef[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35598434
- DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.05.003
Abstract
Objective: To understand the impact of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on seizure frequency in persons with epilepsy with a Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) system implanted.
Methods: Weekly long episode counts (LEC) were used as a proxy for seizures for six months pre-COVID-19 and during the COVID-19 period. Telephone surveys and chart reviews were conducted to assess patient mental health during the pandemic. The change in LEC between the two time periods was correlated to reported stressors.
Results: Twenty patients were included. Comparing the pre-COVID-19 period to the COVID-19 period, we found that only 5 (25%) patients had increased seizures, which was positively correlated with change in anti-seizure medications (ASM, p = 0.03) and bitemporal seizures (p = 0.03). Increased seizures were not correlated to anxiety (p = 1.00), depression (p = 0.58), and sleep disturbances (p = 1.00). The correlation between RNS-detected and patient-reported seizures was poor (p = 0.32).
Conclusions: Most of our patients did not have an increase in seizures following the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in ASM and bitemporal seizures were positively correlated to increased LEC. There was no correlation between pandemic-related stress and seizures in those found to have increased seizures.
Significance: This is the first study correlating RNS-derived objective LECs with patient self-reports and potential seizure risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; Epilepsy; Long episode; Pandemic; RNS; Stressor.