An audit of ambulatory cassette EEG monitoring in children

Abstract

This audit evaluated the role and usefulness of ambulatory cassette EEG recordings without simultaneous video monitoring in children with paroxysmal episodes including epilepsy. Fifty-four children underwent ambulatory EEG recordings for 48 hours over a 12 month period. Only 31 of the 54 children experienced one of their typical clinical episodes during their recordings. Fifteen of these 31 patients were considered to have epilepsy, only three of whom had a clinical episode at the time of their recording and in all three the EEG demonstrated abnormal (generalized spike and slow wave or focal, rhythmic slow wave) activity. All 10 patients who were considered to have non-epileptic episodes showed no electrical change during their EEG recordings. The results of the ambulatory cassette EEG recordings were considered to have been helpful and to have contributed to the management of only 17 (31%) of the 54 patients in this audit. Stricter clinical criteria for undertaking ambulatory recordings and improved technology are likely to increase the role and usefulness of this procedure.