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Researchers conducted a retrospective study examining the rate of and risk factors for misdiagnosis of nonepileptic paroxysmal events as epilepsy, and vice versa, in a neurological intensive care unit. Researchers compared the diagnosis at admission with the discharge diagnosis for 208 patients with a diagnosis of epileptic seizures at any time during hospitalization. The final diagnosis of epilepsy was based on strict clinical or electrographic criteria.
Of patients with an initial diagnosis of epilepsy, 13.9% proved not to have epilepsy. Of those with a final diagnosis of epilepsy or seizure, 15.6% initially received misdiagnoses. Most significant risk factors for misdiagnosis (old age, multiple morbidities, abnormal computed tomography sc…