Importance of access to epilepsy monitoring units during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consensus statement of the International League against epilepsy and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology.
Clin Neurophysiol
; 132(9): 2248-2250, 2021 09.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1366484
ABSTRACT
Restructuring of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to lockdown of Epilepsy Monitoring Units (EMUs) in many hospitals. The ad-hoc taskforce of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN) highlights the detrimental effect of postponing video-EEG monitoring of patients with epilepsy and other paroxysmal events. The taskforce calls for action to continue functioning of Epilepsy Monitoring Units during emergency situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Long-term video-EEG monitoring is an essential diagnostic service. Access to video-EEG monitoring of the patients in the EMUs must be given high priority. Patients should be screened for COVID-19, before admission, according to the local regulations. Local policies for COVID-19 infection control should be adhered to during the video-EEG monitoring. In cases of differential diagnosis where reduction of antiseizure medication is not required, consider home video-EEG monitoring as an alternative in selected patients.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Communicable Disease Control
/
Electroencephalography
/
Epilepsy
/
COVID-19
/
Health Services Accessibility
/
Neurophysiology
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Clin Neurophysiol
Journal subject:
Neurology
/
Psychophysiology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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