Are Auras Reported by Patients with Generalized Epilepsy Meaningful or Misleading?

A large study using a strict interview structure uncovers the same high rate of auras or aura-like symptoms in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy as in those with focal epilepsy.

According to the conceptual organization of the epilepsies, auras are focal seizures. However, some patients with generalized/primary epilepsy (GE) report auras or aura-like symptoms. Aiming to obtain objective, comprehensive seizure phenotype data, investigators extracted the interview results used to characterize seizure-related symptoms and semiology of patients diagnosed with GE or focal epilepsy (FE) in a multicenter study. Trained research assistants performed the systematic, uniform interview of all patients, covering sensory, motor, experiential, and cognitive symptom domains, initially with open-ended questions, followed by closed-ended questions.

Of the 530 GE patients with generalized tonic–clonic (GTC) seizures, 21% reported aura…

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)

Are Auras Reported by Patients with Generalized Epilepsy Meaningful or Misleading?

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Reviewing Author