Ali A Asadi-Pooya1, Yasaman Emami2, Mehrdad Emami2. 1. Neurosciences Research Center, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. Electronic address: aliasadipooya@yahoo.com. 2. Neurosciences Research Center, Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract
PURPOSE: We investigated the demographic and clinical characteristics of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in patients in Iran. METHODS: In this prospective study, all patients with a clinical diagnosis of PNES (based on ictal recordings) were recruited at the outpatient epilepsy clinic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, from 2008 through 2013. The epileptologist interviewed all the patients. We investigated the demographic and clinical characteristics of PNES. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-nine patients were diagnosed as having PNES. Two hundred and eleven patients had video-EEG recordings available and included in the study. One hundred and forty-one (66.8%) were female and 70 (33.2%) were male. There were no significant differences between our patients and previous reports regarding the clinical and semiological characteristics of PNES. CONCLUSION: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are relatively common at epilepsy clinics. It appears that an Islamic lifestyle (in Iran) has little influence on the clinical characteristics and manifestations of PNES, as we observed similar results as in most previous studies from other cultures.
PURPOSE: We investigated the demographic and clinical characteristics of psychogenic non-epilepticseizures (PNES) in patients in Iran. METHODS: In this prospective study, all patients with a clinical diagnosis of PNES (based on ictal recordings) were recruited at the outpatientepilepsy clinic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, from 2008 through 2013. The epileptologist interviewed all the patients. We investigated the demographic and clinical characteristics of PNES. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-nine patients were diagnosed as having PNES. Two hundred and eleven patients had video-EEG recordings available and included in the study. One hundred and forty-one (66.8%) were female and 70 (33.2%) were male. There were no significant differences between our patients and previous reports regarding the clinical and semiological characteristics of PNES. CONCLUSION: Psychogenic non-epilepticseizures are relatively common at epilepsy clinics. It appears that an Islamic lifestyle (in Iran) has little influence on the clinical characteristics and manifestations of PNES, as we observed similar results as in most previous studies from other cultures.