Abstracts

Rationale: NES are costly to the patient and society because NES are often misdiagnosed, patients are resistant to the diagnosis and they tend to be difficult to treat. This randomized control pilot study evaluated the effect of psycho-educational intervention (PEI) by a psychiatric nurse. Methods: Nineteen subjects with NES, diagnosed with video-EEG monitoring, were randomly assigned to two groups: specialist PEI (n=9) and treatment as usual (n=10) were compared six to eight weeks after diagnosis on the outcome variable of follow up with a therapist. Additional exploratory outcome measures (QOLIE-31 and Health Care Utilization) were collected. Results: All nine patients in the PEI group made or kept an appointment, verified by a blinded phone interview 6 to 8 weeks after diagnosis presentation. Only 5 in the treatment as usual group made or kept an appointment (?2= 6.107, p = .033). At follow up, females in the treatment group have a higher quality of life (63 vs. 37, P=0.015), overall score (29 vs. 21), and social function score (36.4 vs. 22.3) than those of females in the control group. Males decreased in all three scores in the treatment group compared to those in the control group, however the effect is not significant at the 5% level. This difference may be due to confounding factors. Conclusions: Adequate follow up is a prerequisite to effective treatment and was significantly improved by specialist PEI. The significance of the gender differences is unclear. Two patients in the control group and none in the PEI group expressed disbelief of the diagnosis leading to delay in treatment and possible overusage of medical resources. We conclude that specialist PEI is helpful in the management of patients with PNES. Funded by Cerner/American Nurses Foundation