Prognosis and Outcome Predictors in Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures

Overview

Journal Epilepsy Res Treat

Date 2012 Sep 1

PMID 22937230

Citations 17

Authors

Joseph Durrant

Hugh Rickards

Andrea E Cavanna

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

It is estimated that one in five patients referred to specialist epilepsy clinics for refractory seizures have psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Despite the high prevalence, little is known about the prognosis of patients with PNES. In this paper we set out to systematically assess published original studies on the prognosis and outcome predictors of patients with PNES. Our literature search across the databases Medline, PsycINFO, and EMBASE generated 18 original studies meeting the search criteria. Prognosis was found to be poor in adults, but good in children. Predictors of poor outcome included the presence of coexisting epilepsy or psychiatric comorbidities, violent seizure phenomenology, dependent lifestyle, and poor relationships. Overall, too much reliance is placed on seizure remission as an outcome measurement for patients with PNES, and the impact of many of the outcome predictors requires evaluation using larger studies with longer followup.

Citing Articles

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Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures (PNES) in the Setting of Trauma and Schizophrenia.

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