Seizure control, stress, and access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City: The patient perspective.

OBJECTIVE: Our epilepsy population recently experienced the acute effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Herein, we aimed to determine patient-perceived seizure control during the surge, specific variables associated with worsened seizures, the prevalence of specific barriers to care, and patient-perceived efficacy of epilepsy care delivered via telephone and live video visits during the pandemic. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire study of adult epilepsy patients who had a scheduled appointment at a single urban Comprehensive Epilepsy Center (Montefiore Medical Center) between March 1, 2020 and May 31, 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bronx. Subjects able to answer the questionnaire themselves in English or Spanish were eligible to complete a one-time survey via telephone or secure online platform (REDCap). RESULTS: Of 1212 subjects screened, 675 were eligible, and 177 adequately completed the questionnaire. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 75.1% of patients reported no change in seizure control, whereas 17.5% reported that their seizure control had worsened, and 7.3% reported improvement. Subjects who reported worsened seizure control had more frequent seizures at baseline, were more likely to identify stress and headaches/migraines as their typical seizure precipitants, and were significantly more likely to report increased stress related to the pandemic. Subjects with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 did not report worsened seizure control. Nearly 17% of subjects reported poorer epilepsy care, and 9.6% had difficulty obtaining their antiseizure medications; these subjects were significantly more likely to report worse seizure control. SIGNIFICANCE: Of the nearly 20% of subjects who reported worsened seizure control during the COVID-19 pandemic, stress and barriers to care appear to have posed the greatest challenge. This unprecedented pandemic exacerbated existing and created new barriers to epilepsy care, which must be addressed.

EEG findings in acutely ill patients investigated for SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19: A small case series preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: Acute encephalopathy may occur in COVID-19-infected patients. We investigated whether medically indicated EEGs performed in acutely ill patients under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19 report epileptiform abnormalities and whether these are more prevalent in COVID-19 positive than negative patients. METHODS: In this retrospective case series, adult COVID-19 inpatient PUIs underwent EEGs for acute encephalopathy and/or seizure-like events. PUIs had 8-channel headband EEGs (Ceribell; 20 COVID-19 positive, 6 COVID-19 negative); 2 more COVID-19 patients had routine EEGs. Overall, 26 Ceribell EEGs, 4 routine and 7 continuous EEG studies were reviewed. EEGs were interpreted by board-certified clinical neurophysiologists (n = 16). EEG findings were correlated with demographic data, clinical presentation and history, and medication usage. Fisher's exact test was used. RESULTS: We included 28 COVID-19 PUIs (30-83 years old), of whom 22 tested positive (63.6% males) and 6 tested negative (33.3% male). The most common indications for EEG, among COVID-19-positive vs COVID-19-negative patients, respectively, were new onset encephalopathy (68.2% vs 33.3%) and seizure-like events (14/22, 63.6%; 2/6, 33.3%), even among patients without prior history of seizures (11/17, 64.7%; 2/6, 33.3%). Sporadic epileptiform discharges (EDs) were present in 40.9% of COVID-19-positive and 16.7% of COVID-19-negative patients; frontal sharp waves were reported in 8/9 (88.9%) of COVID-19-positive patients with EDs and in 1/1 of COVID-19-negative patient with EDs. No electrographic seizures were captured, but 19/22 COVID-19-positive and 6/6 COVID-19-negative patients were given antiseizure medications and/or sedatives before the EEG. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first preliminary report of EDs in the EEG of acutely ill COVID-19-positive patients with encephalopathy or suspected clinical seizures. EDs are relatively common in this cohort and typically appear as frontal sharp waves. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the potential direct or indirect effects of COVID-19 on activating epileptic activity.

SSEP in Therapeutic Hypothermia Era.

PURPOSE: The reliability of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) in predicting outcome in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest treated with therapeutic hypothermia (TH) has been questioned. We investigated whether the absence of cortical (N20) responses was a reliable predictor of a nonawakening in the setting of TH. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in cardiac arrest survivors treated with TH admitted to a single tertiary care hospital from April, 2010 to March, 2013 who underwent SSEP testing at various time points after cardiac arrest. N20 responses were categorized as normal, present but abnormal, bilaterally absent, or inadequate for interpretation. Neurologic outcome was assessed at discharge by the Cerebral Performance Category Scale (CPC). RESULTS: Ninety-three SSEP studies were performed in 73 patients. Fourteen patients had absent N20 responses; all had poor outcome (CPC 4-5). Eleven patients had absent N20 s during hypothermia, three of whom had follow-up SSEPs after rewarming and cortical responses remained absent. Fifty-seven patients had N20 peaks identified and had variable outcomes. Evaluation of 1 or more N20 peaks was limited or inadequate in 11.4% of SSEPs performed during the cooling because of artifact. CONCLUSIONS: Somatosensory evoked potentials remain a reliable prognostic indicator in patients undergoing TH. The limited sample size of patients who had SSEP performed during TH and repeated after normothermia added to the effect of self-fulfilling prophecy limit the interpretation of the reliability of this testing when performed during cooling. Further prospective, multicenter, large scale studies correlating cortical responses in SSEPs during and after TH are warranted. Technical challenges are commonplace during TH and caution is advised in the interpretation of suboptimal recordings.

Neurosurgical management of symptomatic thoracic spinal ossification in a patient with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva.

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by heterotopic ossification of soft connective and muscle tissues, often as the result of minor trauma. The sequelae include joint fusion, accumulation of calcified foci within soft tissues, thoracic insufficiency syndrome, and progressive immobility. The authors report on a patient with FOP who developed severe spinal canal stenosis in the thoracic spine causing substantial myelopathy. He underwent a thoracic laminectomy and resection of a large posterior osteophyte. Unique considerations are required in treating patients with FOP, including steroid administration to prevent ossification and anesthetic technique. The nuances of neurosurgical and medical management as they pertain to this disease are discussed.

The value of intraoperative electrocorticography in surgical decision making for temporal lobe epilepsy with normal MRI.

PURPOSE: We hypothesized that acute intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) might identify a subset of patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who could proceed directly to standard anteromesial resection (SAMR), obviating the need for chronic electrode implantation to guide resection. METHODS: Patients with TLE and a normal MRI who underwent acute ECoG prior to chronic electrode recording of ictal onsets were evaluated. Intraoperative interictal spikes were classified as mesial (M), lateral (L), or mesial/lateral (ML). Results of the acute ECoG were correlated with the ictal-onset zone following chronic ECoG. Onsets were also classified as "M,""L," or "ML." Positron emission tomography (PET), scalp-EEG (electroencephalography), and Wada were evaluated as adjuncts. KEY FINDINGS: Sixteen patients fit criteria for inclusion. Outcomes were Engel class I in nine patients, Engel II in two, Engel III in four, and Engel IV in one. Mean postoperative follow-up was 45.2 months. Scalp EEG and PET correlated with ictal onsets in 69% and 64% of patients, respectively. Wada correlated with onsets in 47% of patients. Acute intraoperative ECoG correlated with seizure onsets on chronic ECoG in all 16 patients. All eight patients with "M" pattern ECoG underwent SAMR, and six (75%) experienced Engel class I outcomes. Three of eight patients with "L" or "ML" onsets (38%) had Engel class I outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE: Intraoperative ECoG may be useful in identifying a subset of patients with MRI-negative TLE who will benefit from SAMR without chronic implantation of electrodes. These patients have uniquely mesial interictal spikes and can go on to have improved postoperative seizure-free outcomes.

Delayed onset of sleep-wake cycling with favorable outcome in hypothermic-treated neonates with encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether hypothermia modulates acquisition of sleep-wake cycling in term neonates with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and the relationship to outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-nine term infants with moderate to severe HIE treated with selective head cooling were evaluated. All were monitored with amplitude-integrated electroencephalography during and video electroencephalography immediately after hypothermia for ≥72 hours. Electroencephalograpic data were analyzed for background and sleep-wake cycling. Abnormal outcome included death or severe global neurodevelopmental disability ≥18 months. RESULTS: Acquisition of sleep-wake cycling was noted in nine infants by 72 hours, in 13 by 96 hours, 19 by 120 hours, and 22 by 144 hours. Presence of sleep-wake cycling was associated with normal outcome, that is, 14 of 22 (64%), versus abnormal outcome, that is, none of seven without sleep-wake cycling (P = .006). The presence of sleep-wake cycling by 120 hours had a positive predictive value of 68% and negative predictive value of 90%. Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities were related to onset of sleep-wake cycling. CONCLUSIONS: Although onset of sleep-wake cycling is markedly delayed in term neonates with moderate to severe HIE treated with hypothermia, approximately 65% with acquisition of cycling have a normal outcome. Sleep-wake cycling is an important additional tool for assessing recovery in term infants with moderate to severe HIE treated with hypothermia.

Cost-effective screening for the metabolic syndrome in patients treated with second-generation antipsychotic medications.

OBJECTIVE: Despite concerns about the adverse effects of second-generation antipsychotics on weight regulation and glucose and lipid metabolism, little is known about the relationship between these agents and the metabolic syndrome. Because the metabolic syndrome is more strongly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than its individual components, attention to the full syndrome is important. The authors' goal was to explore the relationship between second-generation antipsychotics and the metabolic syndrome. METHOD: They assessed the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a nearly consecutive group of 89 acutely admitted psychiatric inpatients treated with at least one second-generation antipsychotic for different psychiatric disorders. Patients' waist circumference and blood pressure were measured as well as their fasting blood glucose and lipid levels. RESULTS: Twenty-six (29.2%) of the 89 patients fulfilled criteria for the metabolic syndrome. Presence of the syndrome was associated with older age, higher body mass index, and higher values for each individual criterion of the metabolic syndrome but not with specific diagnoses or antipsychotic treatment regimens. Presence of abdominal obesity was most sensitive (92.0%), while fasting glucose >110 mg/dl was most specific (95.2%) in correctly identifying the presence of metabolic syndrome. Combining abdominal obesity and elevated fasting blood glucose had 100% sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of both abdominal obesity and fasting blood glucose is a simple, cost-effective screening test to detect patients at high risk for future cardiovascular morbidity.