SUDEP in Seizure Monitoring Units: What Can Be Learned?

A large international survey of seizure monitoring units reveals a consistent pattern of postictal cerebral activity suppression leading to cardiorespiratory dysfunction within a few minutes, culminating in terminal apnea followed by asystole.

Despite increased awareness, the mechanisms and risk factors involved in sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) remain enigmatic. As part of a larger study to better understand epilepsy-associated death, researchers assessed data from a large retrospective survey of 147 responding centers that provided detailed information on fatal cardiorespiratory arrests occurring during inpatient video-electroencephalogram (VEEG) monitoring.

SUDEP was involved in 16 of the 29 cardiorespiratory arrests captured in the census (constituting 1771 patient-years of monitoring). Half of the SUDEP cases were definite, and half were probable. All deaths were in adults. The remaining nine cardiorespiratory arrest cases were classified as near-SUDEP. In 10 ca…

Reviewing Author

Robert C. Knowlton, MD, MSPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMore Health, Inc.; The Alliance of Medical Companies

Grant/Research SupportNIH Small Business Innovation Research

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSouthern Epilepsy & EEG Society (Treasurer)

Robert C. Knowlton, MD, MSPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMore Health, Inc.; The Alliance of Medical Companies

Grant/Research SupportNIH Small Business Innovation Research

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSouthern Epilepsy & EEG Society (Treasurer)

SUDEP in Seizure Monitoring Units: What Can Be Learned?

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Reviewing Author