Abstracts

Video-EEG monitoring is commonly used to distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic events in developmentally disabled (DD) patients. However, its utility for distinguishing these events is not clearly established. This study is to determine the experience of DD patients undergoing this testing and its usefulness.
Retrospective review of all DD patients [gt]18 yo admitted for video-EEG monitoring at the Long Island Jewish Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
Forty-seven DD patients, 19 male and 28 female, underwent monitoring. Mean age was 40 years (range 20-58). Mean length of stay was 4 days (range 1-8). Reasons for admission were: characterization of events (89%), medication toxicity (2%), and increased seizure frequency (9%). History of seizures was noted in 74%, and a history of behavioral symptoms in 53%. Events were recorded in 83% of patients. The recorded events included: seizures only (53%), behavioral events only (29%), and seizures and behavioral events (21%). Typical events were found in 43% of patients. Of the patients with only behavioral events, 45% had a history of seizures and behavioral events. Of the patients with seizures and behavioral events recorded, 25% had a diagnosis of only seizures, and 13% had a diagnosis of only episodic behavioral events. Epileptiform abnormalities on EEG occurred in 9% of patients with only behavioral events. Of the patients with seizures and behavioral events, epileptiform abnormalities on EEG occurred in 88% of patients.
Video-EEG is a useful tool for clarifying epileptic from non-epileptic events in DD patients. A number of patients may have both types of events which were not discerned by caregivers, and results of monitoring can impact future treatment. Since interictal epileptiform abnormalities can be seen in DD patients with behavioral events, video-EEG provides a more definitive diagnosis.