Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Oct 2020
Emergency implementation of telemedicine for epilepsy in Spain: Results of a survey during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Teleneurology in Spain had not been implemented so far in clinical practice, except in urgent patients with stroke. Telemedicine was hardly used in epilepsy, and patients and neurologists usually preferred onsite visits. Our goal was to study impressions of adult and pediatric epileptologists about the use of telemedicine after emergent implementation during the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Oct 2020
Use of a simulation-based mastery learning curriculum for neurology residents to improve the identification and management of status epilepticus.
Appropriate and timely treatment of status epilepticus (SE) decreases morbidity and mortality. Therefore, skill-based training in the identification and management of SE is crucial for clinicians. ⋯ Our SBML curriculum significantly improved residents' SE identification and management skills that were largely retained during an unannounced simulated encounter in the hospital setting.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Oct 2020
Epilepsy self-management during a pandemic: Experiences of people with epilepsy.
The purpose of this descriptive study was to, from the perspective of adult people with epilepsy (PWE) and caregivers of PWE, explore the effects of the current pandemic and resulting societal changes on epilepsy self-management. Ninety-four respondents completed a mixed-methods quantitative and qualitative survey focused on their epilepsy self-management experiences during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. ⋯ Lack of ability to obtain medications or see epilepsy providers, as well as increased stress, social isolation, and changes in routine were all reported as troublesome, and more than one-third of the sample reported an increase in seizure frequency since the onset of the pandemic. Suggestions are given regarding how to support PWE during future COVID-19 outbreaks and to better prepare PWE and their caregivers for any life-altering events, such as a pandemic, with robust self-management skills that will allow them to maintain the highest level of function possible.
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Epilepsy & behavior : E&B · Oct 2020
Comparative StudyVagus nerve stimulation with tachycardia detection provides additional seizure reduction compared to traditional vagus nerve stimulation.
This study investigates the clinical and cost effectiveness of switching from traditional vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to responsive VNS (rVNS), which has an additional ictal tachycardia detection and stimulation (AutoStim) mode. ⋯ Ictal tachycardia detection and stimulation provided a significant clinical benefit in patients who were not free of disabling seizures with treatment from traditional VNS. There was no additional increase in healthcare costs during the first year after device replacement.