The long-term outcomes of patients with negative prolonged ambulatory electroencephalography tests: A cross-sectional follow-up study

TL;DR

This study found that nearly half of patients with initially negative AEEG tests were later diagnosed with epilepsy, highlighting the importance of clinical evaluation alongside AEEG.

Contribution

The study reveals that a negative AEEG result does not rule out epilepsy, emphasizing the need for continued clinical assessment.

Findings

45% of participants with negative AEEG tests were later diagnosed with epilepsy after 12 years.

Factors like seizure history and medication use were linked to an epilepsy diagnosis.

Quality of life was associated with age, employment, and seizure experience, but not with an epilepsy diagnosis.

Abstract

Ambulatory electroencephalography (AEEG) recording is an essential aid for detecting interictal discharges and providing a clinical diagnosis. This study aimed to describe long-term outcomes among a cohort of patients who yielded negative results on AEEG at the time of assessment and identify factors associated with contemporary quality of life (QOL) and ultimate epilepsy diagnosis.

This cross-sectional telephone follow-up study was conducted in June-November 2021 at the Neurology Department in a metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia.

In total, 47 of 105 eligible (45%) participants were enrolled. Overall, 21 (45%) participants had been diagnosed with epilepsy at a 12-year follow-up. Taking anti-seizure medication, having experienced a seizure event, and having marriage and education-related characteristics were associated with an epilepsy diagnosis. QOL was found to be associated with age, employment status and history of experience of a seizure event. QOL and an epilepsy diagnosis were not shown to be statistically related.

Nearly half of the participants had received an epilepsy diagnosis at long-term follow-up, despite having tested negative on AEEG at the time of assessment. Prolonged AEEG testing is an important tool to aid the diagnostic process. However, clinical examination, including accurate history taking, is vital in establishing an epilepsy diagnosis.

Ambulatory electroencephalography (AEEG) recording is an essential aid for detecting interictal discharges and providing a clinical diagnosis. This study aimed to describe long-term outcomes among a cohort of patients who yielded negative results on AEEG at the time of assessment and identify factors associated with contemporary quality of life (QOL) and ultimate epilepsy diagnosis.

This cross-sectional telephone follow-up study was conducted in June-November 2021 at the Neurology Department in a metropolitan hospital in Sydney, Australia.

In total, 47 of 105 eligible (45%) participants were enrolled. Overall, 21 (45%) participants had been diagnosed with epilepsy at a 12-year follow-up. Taking anti-seizure medication, having experienced a seizure event, and having marriage and education-related characteristics were associated with an epilepsy diagnosis. QOL was found to be associated with age, employment status and history of experience of a seizure event. QOL and an epilepsy diagnosis were not shown to be statistically related.

Nearly half of the participants had received an epilepsy diagnosis at long-term follow-up, despite having tested negative on AEEG at the time of assessment. Prolonged AEEG testing is an important tool to aid the diagnostic process. However, clinical examination, including accurate history taking, is vital in establishing an epilepsy diagnosis.

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