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. 2022 May 1;39(4):271-275.
doi: 10.1097/WNP.0000000000000781. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Video Ambulatory EEG in Children: A Quality Improvement Study

Marissa P DiGiovine  1   2 , Shavonne L Massey  1   2 , Denise LaFalce  3 , Lisa Vala  3 , Linda Allen-Napoli  3 , Brenda L Banwell  1   2 , Nicholas S Abend  1   2   3   4   5
Affiliations

Video Ambulatory EEG in Children: A Quality Improvement Study

Marissa P DiGiovine et al. J Clin Neurophysiol. .

Abstract

Purpose: We implemented a video ambulatory EEG (VA-EEG) Program as an alternative to inpatient video EEG monitoring for some patients given potential benefits related to quicker access, greater convenience, and lower cost. To evaluate the newly initiated program, we performed a quality improvement study to assess whether VA-EEG yielded studies with interpretable EEG and video quality that generated clinically beneficial data.

Methods: This was a single-center prospective quality improvement study. We surveyed ordering clinicians, electroencephalographers, and caregivers regarding consecutive children who underwent clinically indicated VA-EEG. The primary outcome was the percentage of VA-EEG studies in which the ordering clinician reported that the study had answered the question of interest.

Results: We evaluated 74 consecutive children selected to undergo clinically indicated VA-EEG by their clinicians and caregivers. Ordering clinicians reported that 77% of studies answered the question of interest. Electroencephalographers reported that the quality of the EEG and video was excellent or adequate in 100% and 92% of patients, respectively. Additionally, 84% of caregivers reported preferring VA-EEG if EEG data were needed in the future.

Conclusions: Video ambulatory EEG may be an effective diagnostic modality among children selected by clinicians and caregivers to undergo long-term EEG monitoring. Given it is effective as well as convenient, accessible, and lower cost than inpatient EEG monitoring, all of which align with our institution's quality goals, we intend to expand our VA-EEG Program.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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