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. 2016 Jan;127(1):102-107.
doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.02.056. Epub 2015 Mar 6.

Incidental epileptiform discharges in patients of a tertiary centre

Stefan Seidel  1 , Eleonore Pablik  2 , Susanne Aull-Watschinger  3 , Birgit Seidl  3 , Ekaterina Pataraia  3
Affiliations

Incidental epileptiform discharges in patients of a tertiary centre

Stefan Seidel et al. Clin Neurophysiol. 2016 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: This controlled study set out to assess the rate of incidental epileptiform discharges (ED) during routine EEG and the incidence of epilepsy within a 4-year follow-up period in patients without a history of epilepsy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of 1750 consecutive patients referred to the Department of Neurology at the Vienna General Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2009. The incidence of epilepsy in patients with ED and no prior history of epilepsy was compared with a disease control group matched for gender and neuroimaging findings.

Results: ED were identified in 26 (4%) of 629 patients without a history of epilepsy. Sixteen (62%) of these patients developed epilepsy during follow-up compared with five (19%) of the disease controls (p=0.01), yielding an adjusted odds ratio of 8.8 (95% CI 2.1-37.7) for developing epilepsy in patients with ED and no prior history of epilepsy.

Conclusions: Incidental ED during routine EEG significantly increase the likelihood of developing epilepsy.

Significance: Patients with incidental ED should be specifically asked for any signs and symptoms suggestive of seizures, since they appear more prone to develop epilepsy.

Keywords: Disease controls; Epilepsy; Follow-up; Incidental epileptiform discharges; Routine EEG.

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