Can an exercise bicycle be safely used in the epilepsy monitoring unit?: An exercise method to provoke epileptic seizures and the related safety issues

Prognostic Value of Early Intermittent Electroencephalography in Patients after Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

The aim of this study was to investigate whether early intermittent electroencephalography (EEG) could be used to predict neurological prognosis of patients who underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). This was a retrospective and observational study of adult patients who were evaluated by EEG scan within 96 h after ECPR. The primary endpoint was neurological status upon discharge from the hospital assessed with a Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) scale. Among 69 adult cardiac arrest patients who underwent ECPR, 17 (24.6%) patients had favorable neurological outcomes (CPC score of 1 or 2). Malignant EEG patterns were more common in patients with poor neurological outcomes (CPC score of 3, 4 or 5) than in patients with favorable neurological outcomes (73.1% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.001). All patients with highly malignant EEG patterns (43.5%) had poor neurological outcomes. In multivariable analysis, malignant EEG patterns and duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation were significantly associated with poor neurological outcomes. In this study, malignant EEG patterns within 96 h after cardiac arrest were significantly associated with poor neurological outcomes. Therefore, an early intermittent EEG scan could be helpful for predicting neurological prognosis of post-cardiac arrest patients after ECPR.

Sport and Physical Activity in Epilepsy

BACKGROUND

For many years, people with epilepsy were advised not to engage in sports. In this systematic review, we investigated whether persons with epilepsy exercise less than the general population, and what effect physical activity has on epilepsy.

METHODS

A literature search was carried out in PubMed and the Web of Science, and 14 269 studies were entered into the selection process. The selected studies were assessed for their methodological quality and accordingly assigned an evidence level.

RESULTS

42 studies were included in the review; 10 were classified as evidence level 3, 27 as evidence level 2-, 2 as evidence level 2+, and 3 as evidence level 1-. Persons with epilepsy are less physically active and less physically fit than the general population. Reduced physical activity is associ- ated with a higher frequency of comorbidities and lower quality of life. Physical interventions can improve quality of life. In most cases, physical exercise did not increase seizure frequency.

CONCLUSION

There is no reason to forbid persons with epilepsy to participate in sports; they should, rather, be encour- a particular type of sport should, however, be taken individually in each case.