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Ballanti S, Campagnini S, Liuzzi P, Hakiki B, Scarpino M, Macchi C, Oddo CM, Carrozza MC, Grippo A, Mannini A. EEG-based methods for recovery prognosis of patients with disorders of consciousness: A systematic review. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 144:98-114. [PMID: 36335795 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Disorders of consciousness (DoC) are acquired conditions of severely altered consciousness. Electroencephalography (EEG)-derived biomarkers have been studied as clinical predictors of consciousness recovery. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review the methods, features, and models used to derive prognostic EEG markers in patients with DoC in a rehabilitation setting. METHODS We conducted a systematic literature search of EEG-based strategies for consciousness recovery prognosis in five electronic databases. RESULTS The search resulted in 2964 papers. After screening, 15 studies were included in the review. Our analyses revealed that simpler experimental settings and similar filtering cut-off frequencies are preferred. The results of studies were categorised by extracting qualitative and quantitative features. The quantitative features were further classified into evoked/event-related potentials, spectral measures, entropy measures, and graph-theory measures. Despite the variety of methods, features from all categories, including qualitative ones, exhibited significant correlations with DoC prognosis. Moreover, no agreement was found on the optimal set of EEG-based features for the multivariate prognosis of patients with DoC, which limits the computational methods applied for outcome prediction and correlation analysis to classical ones. Nevertheless, alpha power, reactivity, and higher complexity metrics were often found to be predictive of consciousness recovery. CONCLUSIONS This study's findings confirm the essential role of qualitative EEG and suggest an important role for quantitative EEG. Their joint use could compensate for their reciprocal limitations. SIGNIFICANCE This study emphasises the need for further efforts toward guidelines on standardised EEG analysis pipeline, given the already proven role of EEG markers in the recovery prognosis of patients with DoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ballanti
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy; The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera 56025, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Silvia Campagnini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy; The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera 56025, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Piergiuseppe Liuzzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy; The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera 56025, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Bahia Hakiki
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy.
| | | | - Claudio Macchi
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Firenze 50143, Italy.
| | - Calogero Maria Oddo
- The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera 56025, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | - Maria Chiara Carrozza
- The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera 56025, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics & AI, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa 56127, Italy.
| | | | - Andrea Mannini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Firenze 50143, Italy.
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2
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Curley WH, Comanducci A, Fecchio M. Conventional and Investigational Approaches Leveraging Clinical EEG for Prognosis in Acute Disorders of Consciousness. Semin Neurol 2022; 42:309-324. [PMID: 36100227 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1755220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Prediction of recovery of consciousness after severe brain injury is difficult and limited by a lack of reliable, standardized biomarkers. Multiple approaches for analysis of clinical electroencephalography (EEG) that shed light on prognosis in acute severe brain injury have emerged in recent years. These approaches fall into two major categories: conventional characterization of EEG background and quantitative measurement of resting state or stimulus-induced EEG activity. Additionally, a small number of studies have associated the presence of electrophysiologic sleep features with prognosis in the acute phase of severe brain injury. In this review, we focus on approaches for the analysis of clinical EEG that have prognostic significance and that could be readily implemented with minimal additional equipment in clinical settings, such as intensive care and intensive rehabilitation units, for patients with acute disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H Curley
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurology, Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Angela Comanducci
- IRCSS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi ONLUS, Milan, Italy.,Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Fecchio
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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3
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FIERAIN A, GASPARD N, LEJEUNE N, EL TAHRY R, SPEYBROECK N, DERMAUW V, FERRAO SANTOS S. Beware of nonconvulsive seizures in prolonged disorders of consciousness: long-term EEG monitoring is the key. Clin Neurophysiol 2022; 136:228-234. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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4
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Lejeune N, Zasler N, Formisano R, Estraneo A, Bodart O, Magee WL, Thibaut A. Epilepsy in prolonged disorders of consciousness: a systematic review. Brain Inj 2021; 35:1485-1495. [PMID: 34499571 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2021.1973104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
To date, no guideline exists for the management of epilepsy in patients with prolonged Disorders of Consciousness (DoC). This review aimed to assess the occurrence of epilepsy and epileptic abnormalities (EA) in these patients, to determine their impact on recovery; and to review the effect of antiepileptic drugs (AED) and therapeutic interventions on seizure occurrence and consciousness recovery. A structured search for studies on prolonged DoC and epilepsy was undertaken following PRISMA guidelines. From an initial search resulting in 5,775 titles, twelve studies met inclusion criteria. The occurrence of epilepsy and EA in DoC was poorly and inconsistently reported across studies. The results estimated a seizure prevalence of 27% in DoC. No conclusive data were found for the effects of AED on recovery nor on the influence of any therapeutic interventions on seizure occurrence. Given the scarcity of data, it is premature to make evidence-based recommendations on epilepsy in prolonged DoC. Based on this review and current clinical practices the following are recommended: (1) repeated standard EEG for detecting seizures and EA; (2) treating epilepsy while avoiding AEDs with sedating or cognitive side-effects. Future research should use standardized classification systems for seizures and EA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Lejeune
- GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Centre Du Cerveau2, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Institute of NeuroScience, Université Catholique De Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Centre Hospitalier Neurologique William Lennox, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Nathan Zasler
- Concussion Care Centre of Virginia and Tree of Life Services. Department of PM&R, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Anna Estraneo
- Neurology Unit, Santa Maria Della Pietà General Hospital, Nola, Italy.,IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus, Florence, Italy
| | - Olivier Bodart
- GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Centre Du Cerveau2, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Epileptology Unit, Neurology Department, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Wendy L Magee
- Boyer College of Music and Dance, Temple University; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Aurore Thibaut
- GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Centre Du Cerveau2, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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5
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Comanducci A, Boly M, Claassen J, De Lucia M, Gibson RM, Juan E, Laureys S, Naccache L, Owen AM, Rosanova M, Rossetti AO, Schnakers C, Sitt JD, Schiff ND, Massimini M. Clinical and advanced neurophysiology in the prognostic and diagnostic evaluation of disorders of consciousness: review of an IFCN-endorsed expert group. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:2736-2765. [PMID: 32917521 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of spontaneous EEG activity and evoked potentialsis a cornerstone of the instrumental evaluation of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Thepast few years have witnessed an unprecedented surge in EEG-related research applied to the prediction and detection of recovery of consciousness after severe brain injury,opening up the prospect that new concepts and tools may be available at the bedside. This paper provides a comprehensive, critical overview of bothconsolidated and investigational electrophysiological techniquesfor the prognostic and diagnostic assessment of DoC.We describe conventional clinical EEG approaches, then focus on evoked and event-related potentials, and finally we analyze the potential of novel research findings. In doing so, we (i) draw a distinction between acute, prolonged and chronic phases of DoC, (ii) attempt to relate both clinical and research findings to the underlying neuronal processes and (iii) discuss technical and conceptual caveats.The primary aim of this narrative review is to bridge the gap between standard and emerging electrophysiological measures for the detection and prediction of recovery of consciousness. The ultimate scope is to provide a reference and common ground for academic researchers active in the field of neurophysiology and clinicians engaged in intensive care unit and rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Comanducci
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan, Italy
| | - M Boly
- Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA; Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
| | - J Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - M De Lucia
- Laboratoire de Recherche en Neuroimagerie, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - R M Gibson
- The Brain and Mind Institute and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, N6A 5B7 University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - E Juan
- Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA; Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S Laureys
- Coma Science Group, Centre du Cerveau, GIGA-Consciousness, University and University Hospital of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Fondazione Europea per la Ricerca Biomedica Onlus, Milan 20063, Italy
| | - L Naccache
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, UPMC Université Paris 06, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - A M Owen
- The Brain and Mind Institute and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, N6A 5B7 University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Rosanova
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Fondazione Europea per la Ricerca Biomedica Onlus, Milan 20063, Italy
| | - A O Rossetti
- Neurology Service, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - C Schnakers
- Research Institute, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - J D Sitt
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, Paris, France
| | - N D Schiff
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - M Massimini
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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6
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Pan J, Xie Q, Qin P, Chen Y, He Y, Huang H, Wang F, Ni X, Cichocki A, Yu R, Li Y. Prognosis for patients with cognitive motor dissociation identified by brain-computer interface. Brain 2020; 143:1177-1189. [PMID: 32101603 PMCID: PMC7174053 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive motor dissociation describes a subset of patients with disorders of consciousness who show neuroimaging evidence of consciousness but no detectable command-following behaviours. Although essential for family counselling, decision-making, and the design of rehabilitation programmes, the prognosis for patients with cognitive motor dissociation remains under-investigated. The current study included 78 patients with disorders of consciousness who showed no detectable command-following behaviours. These patients included 45 patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome and 33 patients in a minimally conscious state, as diagnosed using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised. Each patient underwent an EEG-based brain-computer interface experiment, in which he or she was instructed to perform an item-selection task (i.e. select a photograph or a number from two candidates). Patients who achieved statistically significant brain-computer interface accuracies were identified as cognitive motor dissociation. Two evaluations using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised, one before the experiment and the other 3 months later, were carried out to measure the patients' behavioural improvements. Among the 78 patients with disorders of consciousness, our results showed that within the unresponsive wakefulness syndrome patient group, 15 of 18 patients with cognitive motor dissociation (83.33%) regained consciousness, while only five of the other 27 unresponsive wakefulness syndrome patients without significant brain-computer interface accuracies (18.52%) regained consciousness. Furthermore, within the minimally conscious state patient group, 14 of 16 patients with cognitive motor dissociation (87.5%) showed improvements in their Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scores, whereas only four of the other 17 minimally conscious state patients without significant brain-computer interface accuracies (23.53%) had improved Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scores. Our results suggest that patients with cognitive motor dissociation have a better outcome than other patients. Our findings extend current knowledge of the prognosis for patients with cognitive motor dissociation and have important implications for brain-computer interface-based clinical diagnosis and prognosis for patients with disorders of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Pan
- Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces and Brain Information Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiuyou Xie
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurorehabilitation, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengmin Qin
- Centre for Studies of Psychological Applications, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurorehabilitation, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanbin He
- Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurorehabilitation, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Severe Rehabilitation, Guangdong Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyun Huang
- Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces and Brain Information Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces and Brain Information Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- School of Software, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Ni
- Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurorehabilitation, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Andrzej Cichocki
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Moscow 143026, Russia
- Nicolaus Copernicus University (UMK), Torun 87-100, Poland
| | - Ronghao Yu
- Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurorehabilitation, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanqing Li
- Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces and Brain Information Processing, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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Minimum Competency Recommendations for Programs That Provide Rehabilitation Services for Persons With Disorders of Consciousness: A Position Statement of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2020; 101:1072-1089. [PMID: 32087109 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Persons who have disorders of consciousness (DoC) require care from multidisciplinary teams with specialized training and expertise in management of the complex needs of this clinical population. The recent promulgation of practice guidelines for patients with prolonged DoC by the American Academy of Neurology, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM), and National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) represents a major advance in the development of care standards in this area of brain injury rehabilitation. Implementation of these practice guidelines requires explication of the minimum competencies of clinical programs providing services to persons who have DoC. The Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group of the ACRM, in collaboration with the Disorders of Consciousness Special Interest Group of the NIDILRR-Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems convened a multidisciplinary panel of experts to address this need through the present position statement. Content area-specific workgroups reviewed relevant peer-reviewed literature and drafted recommendations which were then evaluated by the expert panel using a modified Delphi voting process. The process yielded 21 recommendations on the structure and process of essential services required for effective DoC-focused rehabilitation, organized into 4 categories: diagnostic and prognostic assessment (4 recommendations), treatment (11 recommendations), transitioning care/long-term care needs (5 recommendations), and management of ethical issues (1 recommendation). With few exceptions, these recommendations focus on infrastructure requirements and operating procedures for the provision of DoC-focused neurorehabilitation services across subacute and postacute settings.
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Bagnato S, Boccagni C, Prestandrea C, Fingelkurts AA, Fingelkurts AA, Galardi G. Changes in Standard Electroencephalograms Parallel Consciousness Improvements in Patients With Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2016; 98:665-672. [PMID: 27794486 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.09.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Revised: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify changes in the standard electroencephalograms (EEGs) of patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) who did or did not recover consciousness 6 months after admission to a rehabilitation department. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Unit for severe acquired brain injuries. PARTICIPANTS Consecutive patients with UWS (N=28). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES EEG amplitude (reduced or normal), dominant frequency (alpha, theta, or delta), and reactivity (absent or present) were scored at admission and 6 months later. The cumulative Amplitude-Frequency-Reactivity score was evaluated. Clinical assessments were made using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised. RESULTS Sixteen (57.1%) of the 28 patients with UWS recovered consciousness after 6 months, while 12 patients (42.9%) did not recover consciousness. EEG improvements occurred in 14 patients with consciousness recovery (87.5%) and 2 patients without consciousness recovery (16.7%) only. Improvements in EEG dominant frequency (from the theta to the alpha band or from the delta to the theta band), reappearance of EEG reactivity, and Amplitude-Frequency-Reactivity score increase (P<.01) differentiated patients with consciousness improvement from those without consciousness improvement. Six months after admission for rehabilitation, patients with EEG improvements showed higher Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scores than did those without EEG changes (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS Most patients who emerge from UWS demonstrate improvement in basic EEG characteristics over time. EEG changes in patients with UWS may aid in the timely recognition of patients transitioning into a minimally conscious state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Bagnato
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù (PA), Italy.
| | - Cristina Boccagni
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù (PA), Italy
| | - Caterina Prestandrea
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù (PA), Italy
| | | | | | - Giuseppe Galardi
- Unit of Neurophysiology and Unit for Severe Acquired Brain Injuries, Rehabilitation Department, Giuseppe Giglio Foundation, Cefalù (PA), Italy
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Pascarella A, Trojano L, Loreto V, Bilo L, Moretta P, Estraneo A. Long-term outcome of patients with disorders of consciousness with and without epileptiform activity and seizures: a prospective single centre cohort study. J Neurol 2016; 263:2048-56. [PMID: 27416857 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8232-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 07/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Brain-injured patients can experience epileptic seizures beyond 1 week from injury (unprovoked remote symptomatic epileptic seizures). In our longitudinal observational study, we analysed occurrence of unprovoked remote epileptic seizures and interictal epileptiform activity in 130 traumatic, vascular or anoxic inpatients with disorders of consciousness (DOC), with a clinical diagnosis of vegetative state (n = 97) or minimally conscious state (n = 33). We also investigated impact of epileptic seizures and epileptiform activity on clinical outcome (30 months post-onset). Epileptic seizures occurred in 35/130 patients (26.9 %), epileptiform activity in 61/130 (46.9 %) patients, without significant differences related to clinical diagnosis or aetiology. Among patients with epileptiform activity, only 26/61 (42.6 %) developed clinically evident seizures. Mortality at 30 months was not significantly influenced by the presence of seizures or epileptiform activity. The proportion of patients who recovered at long-term follow-up was higher in patients without than in patients with epileptic seizures, but was similar in patients with or without epileptiform activity. The presence of epileptic seizures but not of epileptiform activity, significantly affected the level of responsiveness at final outcome. In conclusion, seizures were detected in about one third of the whole sample, and in about a half of patients with epileptiform activity, regardless of clinical diagnosis or aetiology. Although epileptic seizures or epileptiform activity did not significantly affect mortality rate, we demonstrated that epileptic seizures could hamper recovery of consciousness. Epileptic seizures thus qualify as one of the factors largely undetermined at the moment which can influence prognosis in DOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Pascarella
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Luigi Trojano
- Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Loreto
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Leonilda Bilo
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Moretta
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy
| | - Anna Estraneo
- Research Laboratory and Neurorehabilitation Unit for Disorder of Consciousness, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Scientific Institute, Via Bagni Vecchi, 1, 82037, Telese Terme, BN, Italy.
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