Luciano De Paola1, Vera Cristina Terra2, Carlos Eduardo Silvado2, Helio Afonso Ghizoni Teive3, Andre Palmini4, Kette Dualibi Valente5, Márcia Olandoski6, W Curt LaFrance7. 1. Epilepsy and EEG Service, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil; EPICENTRO, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Hospital N S das Graças, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: luciano.depaola@gmail.com. 2. Epilepsy and EEG Service, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil; EPICENTRO, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Hospital N S das Graças, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. 3. Movement Disorders Service, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná, Brazil. 4. Service of Neurology, Porto Alegre Epilepsy Surgery Program, The Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 5. Psychiatric Department, Clinic's Hospital, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, Clinic's Hospital, University of São Paulo, Brazil. 6. Medical School, Pontificia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brazil. 7. Psychiatry Department, Brown Medical School, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Neurology Department, Brown Medical School, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Epileptic seizures (ES) are often seen as a medical emergency, and their immediate and accurate recognition are pivotal in providing acute care. However, a number of clinical situations may mimic ES, potentially leading to misdiagnosis at the emergency room and to inappropriate prescription of antiepileptic drugs (AED) in the acute and chronic settings. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) play a major role in this scenario and often delay the correct diagnosis and increase treatment morbidity and cost. First responders often conduct the initial assessment of these patients, and their impression may be decisive in the prehospital approach to seizures. We sought to investigate and improve the accuracy of PNES diagnosis among professionals involved in the initial assistance to patients with seizures. METHODS: Fifty-three registered nurses, 34 emergency physicians, 33 senior year medical students, and 12 neurology residents took a short training program consisting of an initial video-based seizure assessment test (pretest), immediately followed by a 30-minute presentation of a 6-item bedside diagnostic tool and then a video-based reassessment (posttest). Baseline status and learning curves were determined. RESULTS: The distinct professional categories showed no significant differences in their ability to diagnose PNES on both pretests and posttests. All groups improved diagnostic skills after the instructional program. SIGNIFICANCE: The findings helped determine the best identifiable PNES clinical signs and to provide initial validation to a novel diagnostic instrument. In addition, our results showed that educational measures might help in the identification of PNES by first responders, which may decrease the treatment gap.
OBJECTIVE:Epileptic seizures (ES) are often seen as a medical emergency, and their immediate and accurate recognition are pivotal in providing acute care. However, a number of clinical situations may mimic ES, potentially leading to misdiagnosis at the emergency room and to inappropriate prescription of antiepileptic drugs (AED) in the acute and chronic settings. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) play a major role in this scenario and often delay the correct diagnosis and increase treatment morbidity and cost. First responders often conduct the initial assessment of these patients, and their impression may be decisive in the prehospital approach to seizures. We sought to investigate and improve the accuracy of PNES diagnosis among professionals involved in the initial assistance to patients with seizures. METHODS: Fifty-three registered nurses, 34 emergency physicians, 33 senior year medical students, and 12 neurology residents took a short training program consisting of an initial video-based seizure assessment test (pretest), immediately followed by a 30-minute presentation of a 6-item bedside diagnostic tool and then a video-based reassessment (posttest). Baseline status and learning curves were determined. RESULTS: The distinct professional categories showed no significant differences in their ability to diagnose PNES on both pretests and posttests. All groups improved diagnostic skills after the instructional program. SIGNIFICANCE: The findings helped determine the best identifiable PNES clinical signs and to provide initial validation to a novel diagnostic instrument. In addition, our results showed that educational measures might help in the identification of PNES by first responders, which may decrease the treatment gap.
Authors: Philipp S Reif; Laurent M Willems; Adam Strzelczyk; Karl Martin Klein; Felix Rosenow Journal: Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol Date: 2018-05-14