Abstract
Purpose: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are episodes that may resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but are not associated with abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Video-EEG recording of a typical episode is considered the best diagnostic tool available. PNES are, however, also documented in patients with epilepsy (PNES/ES). The purpose of this study was to assess this comorbid population, focusing on the differences between patients with PNES/ES and patients with PNES alone. Methods: We reviewed 110 PNES episodes, occurring spontaneously or induced by means of suggestion techniques, recorded in our video-EEG laboratory over a period of eight years. We identified two subgroups of patients, consisting of 85 PNES cases and 25 PNES/ES cases, and assessed any differences in their characteristics by reviewing a number of variables (age, sex, clinical features, antiepileptic therapy, age of onset, time to diagnosis, pathological history, and length of follow-up). Results: The comparison between the two subgroups revealed that PNES/ES patients displayed some statistically significant differences when compared with PNES alone patients, i.e., younger age, a higher percentage of spontaneously activated events, a shorter disease duration, a longer time to PNES diagnosis, and a lower percentage lost at follow-up. Conclusions: This study confirms that PNES is a common, though probably underestimated, occurrence in epilepsy services. Our results shed light on some different characteristics between PNES and PNES/ES patients.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 64-67 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Epilepsia |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2006 |
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Keywords
- Epilepsy
- Pseudo-seizures
- Psychogenic seizures
- Video-EEG
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Video-EEG study of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures : Differential characteristics in patients with and without epilepsy. / Mari, Francesco; Di Bonaventura, Carlo; Vanacore, Nicola; Fattouch, Jinane; Vaudano, Anna Elisabetta; Egeo, Gabriella; Berardelli, Alfredo; Manfredi, Mario; Prencipe, Massimiliano; Giallonardo, Anna Teresa.
In: Epilepsia, Vol. 47, No. SUPPL. 5, 12.2006, p. 64-67.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Video-EEG study of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures
T2 - Differential characteristics in patients with and without epilepsy
AU - Mari, Francesco
AU - Di Bonaventura, Carlo
AU - Vanacore, Nicola
AU - Fattouch, Jinane
AU - Vaudano, Anna Elisabetta
AU - Egeo, Gabriella
AU - Berardelli, Alfredo
AU - Manfredi, Mario
AU - Prencipe, Massimiliano
AU - Giallonardo, Anna Teresa
PY - 2006/12
Y1 - 2006/12
N2 - Purpose: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are episodes that may resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but are not associated with abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Video-EEG recording of a typical episode is considered the best diagnostic tool available. PNES are, however, also documented in patients with epilepsy (PNES/ES). The purpose of this study was to assess this comorbid population, focusing on the differences between patients with PNES/ES and patients with PNES alone. Methods: We reviewed 110 PNES episodes, occurring spontaneously or induced by means of suggestion techniques, recorded in our video-EEG laboratory over a period of eight years. We identified two subgroups of patients, consisting of 85 PNES cases and 25 PNES/ES cases, and assessed any differences in their characteristics by reviewing a number of variables (age, sex, clinical features, antiepileptic therapy, age of onset, time to diagnosis, pathological history, and length of follow-up). Results: The comparison between the two subgroups revealed that PNES/ES patients displayed some statistically significant differences when compared with PNES alone patients, i.e., younger age, a higher percentage of spontaneously activated events, a shorter disease duration, a longer time to PNES diagnosis, and a lower percentage lost at follow-up. Conclusions: This study confirms that PNES is a common, though probably underestimated, occurrence in epilepsy services. Our results shed light on some different characteristics between PNES and PNES/ES patients.
AB - Purpose: Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are episodes that may resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but are not associated with abnormal electrical discharges in the brain. Video-EEG recording of a typical episode is considered the best diagnostic tool available. PNES are, however, also documented in patients with epilepsy (PNES/ES). The purpose of this study was to assess this comorbid population, focusing on the differences between patients with PNES/ES and patients with PNES alone. Methods: We reviewed 110 PNES episodes, occurring spontaneously or induced by means of suggestion techniques, recorded in our video-EEG laboratory over a period of eight years. We identified two subgroups of patients, consisting of 85 PNES cases and 25 PNES/ES cases, and assessed any differences in their characteristics by reviewing a number of variables (age, sex, clinical features, antiepileptic therapy, age of onset, time to diagnosis, pathological history, and length of follow-up). Results: The comparison between the two subgroups revealed that PNES/ES patients displayed some statistically significant differences when compared with PNES alone patients, i.e., younger age, a higher percentage of spontaneously activated events, a shorter disease duration, a longer time to PNES diagnosis, and a lower percentage lost at follow-up. Conclusions: This study confirms that PNES is a common, though probably underestimated, occurrence in epilepsy services. Our results shed light on some different characteristics between PNES and PNES/ES patients.
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Pseudo-seizures
KW - Psychogenic seizures
KW - Video-EEG
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845531312&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33845531312&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00880.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.00880.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 17239109
AN - SCOPUS:33845531312
VL - 47
SP - 64
EP - 67
JO - Epilepsia
JF - Epilepsia
SN - 0013-9580
IS - SUPPL. 5
ER -