Heart rate dynamics in temporal lobe epilepsy—A long-term follow-up study

SummaryThe aim of the present study was to prospectively evaluate long-term changes in interictal heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A 24-h ECG was recorded at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 6.1 years in 18 patients with refractory TLE and 18 patients with well-controlled TLE. After the follow-up, the Poincaré components SD1 (p = 0.039) and SD2 (p = 0.001) were decreased in patients with refractory TLE compared to baseline, whereas in patients with well-controlled TLE no changes (p > 0.05) in HR variability were observed. The reduction in HRV seems to be progressive in patients with chronic refractory TLE with recurrent seizures.