ABSTRACT
SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is the most common cause of death in young patients with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in interictal electrocardiogram parameters and sympathetic skin responses as markers of autonomic dysfunction in patients with epilepsy and to determine their effects on the type and duration of epilepsy, frequency of seizures, and responses to treatment. METHODS: A total of 97 patients with epilepsy and 94 healthy controls were recruited. We recorded their clinical and demographic characteristics and analyzed sympathetic skin response latency and amplitude, electrocardiogram recordings, and seven cardiac rhythm parameters: P-wave duration, PR segment, QRS duration, QT interval, QT interval distribution, Tpe duration, and Tpe/QT interval ratio. RESULTS: P-wave durations, T-wave durations, QT and QT interval durations, and Tpe and sympathetic skin response latency were significantly longer among patients with epilepsy than the controls, and their heart rate was significantly lower. However, sympathetic skin response latency and heart rate were negatively correlated, and T-wave duration, QT duration, QT interval duration, and Tpe were positively correlated. CONCLUSION: Our results from interictal electrocardiograms indicate clinically significant arrhythmias among patients with epilepsy and the correlation of such arrhythmias with sympathetic skin responses. Thus, noninvasive tests that evaluate the autonomic system should be used to predict the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy among patients with epilepsy.
ABSTRACT
Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen causing a wide range of infections ranging from mild skin and soft tissue infections to severe, life‑threatening infections. Accuracy in the detection of methicillin resistance is important to avoid treatment failures. The aim of this study was to compare the results of phenotypic and genotypic test methods to detect methicillin resistance and also to determine the antimicrobial susceptibilities. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and forty‑two S. aureus strains isolated from skin and soft tissue samples were analyzed for methicillin resistance using oxacillin and cefoxitin disk diffusion (DD), oxacillin screen agar test, cefoxitin E‑test, and mecA gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: 77 of 242 S. aureus isolates were mecA positive. Oxacillin, cefoxitin DD, oxacillin screen agar test and cefoxitin E‑test exhibited sensitivities as 98.7%, 98.7%, 100%, 100%, and specificities as 96.9%, 97.5%, 96.9%, 97.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Results of oxacillin screen agar and cefoxitin DD test were in concordance with mecA gene PCR. Thus, it is determined that especially cefoxitin test can be an alternative to PCR in routine.