OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences between groups of patients with early vs late onset psychogenic nonepileptic attacks (PNEA). METHODS: The authors compared patients with onset of PNEA after age 55 years (n = 26) to patients whose onset of PNEA was before age 55 years (n = 241). The authors examined sociodemographic variables, factors potentially predisposing to PNEA, clinical semiology, and medical and psychiatric background. RESULTS: Patients with late onset PNEA were more likely to be male (p = 0.029) (p values are quoted uncorrected for multiple comparisons). They were less likely to report antecedent sexual abuse (p = 0.008), and more likely to have severe physical health problems (p < 0.001) and to report health-related traumatic experiences (p < 0.0001). There were no clear differences in PNEA clinical semiology. There was a trend to better baseline mental health in the late onset group. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest a distinct subgroup of patients with late onset psychogenic nonepileptic attacks, in whom psychological trauma related to poor physical health plays a prominent role.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences between groups of patients with early vs late onset psychogenic nonepileptic attacks (PNEA). METHODS: The authors compared patients with onset of PNEA after age 55 years (n = 26) to patients whose onset of PNEA was before age 55 years (n = 241). The authors examined sociodemographic variables, factors potentially predisposing to PNEA, clinical semiology, and medical and psychiatric background. RESULTS:Patients with late onset PNEA were more likely to be male (p = 0.029) (p values are quoted uncorrected for multiple comparisons). They were less likely to report antecedent sexual abuse (p = 0.008), and more likely to have severe physical health problems (p < 0.001) and to report health-related traumatic experiences (p < 0.0001). There were no clear differences in PNEA clinical semiology. There was a trend to better baseline mental health in the late onset group. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest a distinct subgroup of patients with late onset psychogenic nonepileptic attacks, in whom psychological trauma related to poor physical health plays a prominent role.
Authors: Laura H Goldstein; Emily J Robinson; Izabela Pilecka; Iain Perdue; Iris Mosweu; Julie Read; Harriet Jordan; Matthew Wilkinson; Gregg Rawlings; Sarah J Feehan; Hannah Callaghan; Elana Day; James Purnell; Maria Baldellou Lopez; Alice Brockington; Christine Burness; Norman A Poole; Carole Eastwood; Michele Moore; John Dc Mellers; Jon Stone; Alan Carson; Nick Medford; Markus Reuber; Paul McCrone; Joanna Murray; Mark P Richardson; Sabine Landau; Trudie Chalder Journal: Health Technol Assess Date: 2021-06 Impact factor: 4.014
Authors: Kurt Fritzsche; Kathrin Baumann; Katrin Götz-Trabert; Andreas Schulze-Bonhage Journal: Dtsch Arztebl Int Date: 2013-04-12 Impact factor: 5.594
Authors: Wesley T Kerr; Emily A Janio; Chelsea T Braesch; Justine M Le; Jessica M Hori; Akash B Patel; Norma L Gallardo; Janar Bauirjan; Andrea M Chau; Eric S Hwang; Emily C Davis; Albert Buchard; David Torres-Barba; Shannon D'Ambrosio; Mona Al Banna; Andrew Y Cho; Jerome Engel; Mark S Cohen; John M Stern Journal: Epilepsy Behav Date: 2018-02-02 Impact factor: 2.937