Forensic Analysis of 9 Cases of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze the case, scene and forensic pathological characteristics of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), to provide a practical basis for forensic identification.@*METHODS@#A total of 9 autopsy cases of SUDEP were collected. The basic information of the cases, the scene characteristics, the forensic pathological changes, the common drugs and antiepileptic drug test results, and pericardial fluid biochemical test results were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#All of the 9 cases were male epilepsy patients died during sleep at night, the age of death was (37.1±8.6) years, and the course of epilepsy was (21.3±5.6) years. Six corpses were in prone position and three in left lateral position. The hemorrhage of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, sternal thyroid muscle and sternohyoid muscle were found with 8 cases, 5 cases and 4 cases, respectively, all of them were unilateral. Six cases had bilateral hemorrhage of pectoralis minor muscle. Brain edema, phagocytosis of frontotemporal neurons and gliosis, cardiac fibers bend in wavy patterns and eosinophilic staining enhancement, pulmonary edema, pulmonary congestion, alveolar hemorrhage, pulmonary small bronchiole wall shrinking, tubular proteinuria and pancreatic parenchymal hemorrhage were the common histopathological changes. The biochemical test results of pericardial fluid indicated that there were myocardial ischemic damage.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Young male, early onset, long course of disease, sleep in the prone position, poor drug compliance or combination, epileptic seizure may be the risk factors of SUDEP. Cardiac dysfunction and respiratory depression might be the main death mechanism of SUDEP.

Prevención de la muerte súbita en la epilepsia fármaco resistente: investigaciones de enfermería / Prevention of sudden death in drug-resistant epilepsy: nursing research

Introducción: Una muerte súbita en epilepsia (SUDEP) ocurre cada diez minutos en todo el mundo. El 30 por ciento de los pacientes epilépticos padecen de epilepsia fármaco resistente (EFR), no logran el control de sus crisis y esto aumenta el riesgo de SUDEP. Muchos aún desconocen los factores de riesgo SUDEP y cómo prevenirlos. Los tratamientos para evitarla aún son insuficientes. Las investigaciones enfermeras aportan resultados positivos en el manejo de la enfermedad. Objetivo: Revisar el estado sobre mortalidad, autogestión de epilepsia e investigaciones enfermeras para prevenir la SUDEP en adolescentes y adultos con EFR. Material y Métodos: Revisión sistemática y búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos PubMed SciELO, SCOPUS, ElSEVIER, MEDES, Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS), INFOMED y Google académico. Los criterios de selección: trabajos de la última década en adolescentes y adultos publicados en Cuba y el mundo, enfatizando en las investigaciones enfermeras. Búsqueda de palabras claves en español e inglés, sin restricciones de idioma. Desarrollo: Entre los tratamientos para evitar la SUDEP, destacan los dispositivos de detección de crisis y programas de ayuda online, pero aún son necesarias nuevas opciones. En los factores de riesgo, destacan aquellos relacionados con el sueño. Otros factores de riesgo SUDEP pudieran ser modificables con programas educativos. A pesar de que aún se debaten las formas más adecuadas de ofrecer información sobre SUDEP, los programas educativos enfermeros han evidenciado mayor autogestión, conocimiento de la enfermedad y apego al tratamiento. Conclusiones: El enfermero es el potencial humano ideal, para implementar acciones de autocuidado en las personas con EFR, y empoderarlas con habilidades para el manejo de su enfermedad y prevención de SUDEP(AU)

Introduction: A sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP) occurs every ten minutes worldwide. Also, 30 percent of epileptic patients who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) fail to control their seizures, so the risk of SUDEP increases. Many epileptic patients are unaware of the risk factors for SUDEP and the ways to prevent it. Treatments to avoid SUDEP are still insufficient. Nursing research provide positive results in the management of the disease. Objective: To review the mortality status, self-management of epilepsy and nursing research to prevent SUDEP in adolescents and adults with DRE. Material and Methods: A systematic review and bibliographic search was carried out in the PubMed SciELO, SCOPUS, ELSEVIER, MEDES, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), INFOMED and Google Scholar databases. Selection criteria included studies on nursing research conducted in adolescents and adults during the last decade that have been published in Cuba and other countries of the world. Keywords in Spanish and English without language restrictions were used to carry out the search. Development: Crisis detection devices and online help programs stand out among the treatments to avoid SUDEP, but new options are still necessary. Among the risk factors for SUDEP, those related to sleep are highlighted. Other risk factors for SUDEP could be modified with educational programs. Despite the most appropriate ways of offering information about SUDEP are still debated, nursing educational programs have shown greater self-management, knowledge of the disease, and adherence to treatment. Conclusions: The Nurse is the ideal human potential to implement self-care actions in people with EFR. These actions aim to learn new skills for managing their disease and preventing SUDEP(AU)

Muerte Súbita en Epilepsia (SUDEP): Encuesta a familiares de pacientes con epilepsia y a profesionales de la salud / Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP): Epilepsy Family and Survey health professionals

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), definida como la muerte brusca, inesperada, con o sin testigos, no traumática ni por ahogo, que ocurre en circunstancias benignas, en un individuo con epilepsia, con o sin evidencias de crisis, pero sin estado epiléptico. En general, afecta sobre todo a pacientes con epilepsia refractaria. La incidencia es de 4-7/1000 pacientes al año. En nuestra región, no contamos con muchos datos epidemiológicos de SUDEP, lo cual es un desafío a investigar, ya que sabemos que el 85% de los pacientes con epilepsia viven en países en desarrollo. Es muy importante que los pacientes y/o familiares conozcan sobre SUDEP, ya que ayuda a lograr mejor lo objetivos de tratamiento, promueve mejor el reporte médico-paciente, disminuye ansiedad, filtra la información inadecuada y creencias inapropiadas. Pero es necesario preguntarles a ellos, cuanto saben de SUDEP, cómo, que y cuando recibir esta información. Existen países y culturas donde está vedado hablar de SUDEP. Tampoco conocemos cómo los médicos manejamos el tema, cuando decirlo, que contar y cómo hacerlo. Por otro lado, hay controversias entre los epileptólogos, en qué momento tratar la temática. Por este motivo, se realiza una encuesta a pacientes con epilepsia y/o familiares, además de especialistas médicos. El objetivo es evaluar si los colegas especialistas están hablando del tema y por otro lado constatar los conocimientos de SUDEP en los pacientes y/o familiares. Los resultados de la encuesta, arrojan que la mayoría de los médicos no habla del tema y la mayor parte de los familiares de pacientes con epilepsia desea conocer la temática al inicio de la enfermedad, contada por el médico. Gran número de ellos se ha informado por redes sociales y creen que es prevenible.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), is defined as sudden, unexpected death, with or without witnesses, neither traumatic nor by choking, occurring in benign circumstances in an individual with epilepsy, with or without evidence of crisis, but without epileptic status. In general, it mainly affects patients with refractory epilepsy. The incidence is 4-7/1000 patients per year. In our region, we do not have much epidemiological data about SUDEP, which is a challenge to investigate, as we know that 85% of epilepsy patients live in developing countries. It is important to ask patients and/or family members how much do they know about SUDEP and how as well as when to receive this information. It is important that parents and/or family members know about SUDEP, as it helps to better achieve treat ment goals, better promotes doctor-patient reporting, decreases anxiety, filters inadequate information and inappropriate beliefs. There are countries and cultures where it is forbidden to talk about SUDEP. We also do not know how doctors handle the subject, when to talk about it, what to tell and how to do it. On the other hand, there are controversies among epileptologists at which point to deal with this subject. For this reason, a survey is conducted on parents of children with epilepsy and/or family members, as well as medical specialists. The objective is to be able to evaluate how specialist colleagues are talking about the topic and on the other hand evaluate some parameters of SUDEP in parents and/or family members. Most doctors do not talk about it and most relatives of epilepsy patients want to know the topic of the onset of the disease form their doctor. Large numbers of them have gathered information on SUDEP through social networks and believe it is preventable.

Epilepsia na gravidez / Epilepsy in pregnancy

As epilepsias constituem uma das mais frequentes condições neurológicas encontradas na gravidez, ocorrendo entre 0,5% e 1% das gestações. O risco de morte materna está aumentado em 10 vezes nas grávidas epilépticas. Na gestante, o diagnóstico adequado é fundamental, já que deve ser afastada a possibilidade de se tratar de crise de eclâmpsia, doença exclusiva do período gravídico-puerperal. A preocupação materna quanto aos efeitos adversos (malformações) das drogas antiepilépticas no bebê pode levar à descontinuação ou redução da dose do medicamento, aumentando o risco de convulsão ou de morte súbita e inesperada na epilepsia (SUDEP). Nesta revisão foi dada atenção única e exclusiva às recomendações do Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.(AU)

Epilepsiy is one of the most frequent neurological conditions found in pregnancy, occurring in 0.5 to 1% of pregnancies. The maternal death risk is increased 10-fold in epileptic pregnancies. In pregnant women, its adequate diagnosis is essential, since eclampsia is a differential diagnosis, which is disease exclusive to the pregnancy-puerperal period. Maternal concerns about the adverse effects (malformations) of antiepileptic drugs in the infant may lead to the discontinuation or reduction of the drug dose, increasing the risk of seizure or sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). In this review exclusive attention was given to the recommendations of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.(AU)