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. 2014 Mar:32:142-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.12.031. Epub 2014 Feb 19.

Advantages of respiratory monitoring during video-EEG evaluation to differentiate epileptic seizures from other events

Milena Pavlova  1 , Myriam Abdennadher  2 , Kanwaljit Singh  3 , Eliot Katz  4 , Nichelle Llewellyn  5 , Marcin Zarowsky  6 , David P White  7 , Barbara A Dworetzky  8 , Sanjeev V Kothare  9
Affiliations

Advantages of respiratory monitoring during video-EEG evaluation to differentiate epileptic seizures from other events

Milena Pavlova et al. Epilepsy Behav. 2014 Mar.

Abstract

Differentiating between epileptic seizures (ES) and seizure-like nonepileptic events (SLNE) is often difficult using descriptions of seizure semiology. Cardiopulmonary dysfunction is frequent in ES but has not been objectively examined in relation to SLNE. Our purpose was to compare cardiopulmonary dysfunction between ES and SLNE. We prospectively recorded cardiopulmonary function using pulse oximetry, EKG, and respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) in 52 ES and 22 SLNE. Comparison of cardiopulmonary complications between ES and SLNE was done using two-sample T-tests and logistic regression. Ictal bradypnea and preictal bradycardia were more frequent in ES than SLNE (p<0.05). Desaturation was found in 57% of ES and in 0% of SLNE (p<0.0001). Oxygen saturation nadir was significantly lower in ES vs. SLNE (p<0.0001). Ictal apnea was present in 31% ES and 9% SLNE (p=0.06). Preictal, ictal, and postictal tachycardia did not significantly differ between ES and SLNE (p>1.0). Cardiorespiratory dysfunction, specifically bradypnea, apnea, preictal bradycardia, and oxygen desaturation, is more frequently seen in ES than in SLNE. Tachycardia was not discriminant between ES and SLNE.

Keywords: Breathing; Cardiac disturbances; Epilepsy; Nonepileptic seizures; Seizures.

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None of the other authors have any conflict of interest to report.

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