Epilepsy research
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To analyze trends in utilization of pre-surgical evaluations including video-EEG (VEEG) monitoring, intracranial EEG (IEEG) monitoring, and epilepsy surgery from 1998 to 2009 in the U.S. ⋯ Despite the increase in VEEG monitoring, the availability of guideline and evidences demonstrating benefits of epilepsy surgery was not associated with a greater employment of surgery over time. Nevertheless, access to pre-surgical evaluations and epilepsy surgery is no longer limited to large medical centers.
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Ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase (UCH-L1) has been established as a reliable and potential biomarker of neuronal damage after acute neurologic insults such as ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and traumatic brain injury. The effects of seizures on UCH-L1 levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has not been investigated in epileptic patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether CSF UCH-L1 levels are a reliable marker of brain damage from epileptic seizures. ⋯ Our results suggest that UCH-L1 may serve as a novel biomarker for neuronal damage after epileptic seizure.