Predictive Factors for Outcome of Nonepileptic Seizures After Diagnosis

The aim of this study was to assess prognosis among adult patients with nonepileptic seizures (NES) and to determine predictor variables for resolution of NES after diagnosis. Six to 9 months after receiving a video-EEG-documented diagnosis of NES, 43 adults responded by telephone interview to a det...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences 1999, Vol.11 (4), p.458-463
Main Authors: Ettinger, Alan B, Dhoon, Aliasgar, Weisbrot, Deborah M, Devinsky, Orrin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Prognosis
Prospective Studies
Seizures - diagnosis
Severity of Illness Index
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Summary:The aim of this study was to assess prognosis among adult patients with nonepileptic seizures (NES) and to determine predictor variables for resolution of NES after diagnosis. Six to 9 months after receiving a video-EEG-documented diagnosis of NES, 43 adults responded by telephone interview to a detailed, structured questionnaire probing history of the episodes, psychiatric factors, socioeconomic variables, relationships, reactions to receiving the diagnosis, and potential history of litigation. At follow-up, only 18.6% were episode-free, 55.8% had improved, 16.3% reported no change, and 9.3% reported greater frequency of episodes. Patients who reported having many friends currently or having good relationships with friends as a child were significantly more likely to be episode-free. Subjects with pending litigation were significantly less likely to experience a reduction in episodes.
ISSN:0895-0172
1545-7222
DOI:10.1176/jnp.11.4.458