Incidence of sudden unexpected death in nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy: a cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Most cases of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) follow a seizure, and most deaths occur while people are in bed, presumably sleeping. Nocturnal seizures are reported to be a risk factor for SUDEP. People with nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) have seizures predominantly or exclusively during sleep, often many times per night. The present study aimed to assess whether NFLE represents a high-risk condition for SUDEP.

Methods

The present study retrospectively assessed the incidence of SUDEP in a cohort reconstructed from a dedicated database of consecutive patients referred to the Epilepsy and Sleep Centres of the Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna from 1980 to 2012 with: (1) a diagnosis of NFLE, (2) at least 90% of seizures during sleep, and

SUBMITTER: Mostacci B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4350853 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature