Epilepsia
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Multicenter Study
Dacrystic seizures: demographic, semiologic, and etiologic insights from a multicenter study in long-term video-EEG monitoring units.
To provide an estimate of the frequency of dacrystic seizures in video-electroencephalography (EEG) long-term monitoring units of tertiary referral epilepsy centers and to describe the clinical presentation of dacrystic seizures in relationship to the underlying etiology. ⋯ Dacrystic seizures are a rare but clinically relevant finding during video-EEG monitoring. Our data show that when the patient has dacrystic and gelastic seizures, the cause is a hypothalamic hamartoma. In contrast, when dacrystic seizures are not accompanied by gelastic seizures the underlying lesion is most commonly located in the temporal cortex.
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Multicenter Study
Characteristics of people with epilepsy who attend emergency departments: prospective study of metropolitan hospital attendees.
One fifth of people with established epilepsy attend hospital emergency departments (EDs) and one half are admitted each year. These ED visits are not necessarily required, and unplanned hospitalizations are costly. Reducing avoidable ED visits and admissions is a target in most health services. The development of interventions is, however, challenging. Policymakers lack information about users' characteristics, factors associated with ED use, as well as quality of care. This study provides this information. ⋯ People with epilepsy presenting to EDs reattend frequently. Interventions aiming at reduced ED use by this population should address lower knowledge, stigma, suboptimal self-management, and frequent seizures reported by patients.