P. Boon et al., LONG-TERM VIDEO-EEG MONITORING REVISITED - THE VALUE OF INTERICTAL AND ICTAL VIDEO-EEG RECORDING, A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY, European neurology, 34, 1994, pp. 33-39
Between October 1990 and November 1992, 100 patients were monitored at
the University of Gent Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. Sixty-three patients
were referred for refractory epilepsy, 38 of whom were entered in the
epilepsy surgery protocol. Thirty-seven patients were evaluated for t
he diagnosis of attacks of uncertain origin. Average duration of monit
oring was 3.5 days (2-15 days). Prolonged interictal EEG was recorded
in all patients. Ictal EEG was obtained in 63 patients; the average nu
mber of recorded episodes was 3 (1-15). Premonitoring tentative seizur
e diagnosis was available in 81 patients, 59 of whom had clinical atta
cks. Premonitoring diagnosis was confirmed in 31 patients and revised
in 28 patients. As a result of the monitoring session, anticonvulsant
medication was started in 10 patients, changed in 47, stopped in 5 and
left unchanged in 23 patients. Twelve patients underwent surgery. Ave
rage follow-up after monitoring was 17 months (4-30 months). Four pati
ents were lost to follow-up; 2 patients died of an underlying disease.
In the nonsurgical group (85 patients), 60 patients became seizure-fr
ee or experienced significant reduction in seizure frequency. Outcome
was unrelated to the availability of ictal recording. While prolonged
interictal EEG monitoring is mandatory in the successful management of
patients with refractory epilepsy, ictal video-EEG monitoring is very
helpful but not indispensable, except in patients enrolled for epilep
sy surgery or suspected of having pseudoseizures.