Impact of video-ambulatory electroencephalography on the medical management of epilepsy

Video-ambulatory electroencephalography (video-AEEG) is increasingly being used in secondary care centres for the diagnostic work-up of new cases with suspected epilepsy and for the review of known cases with active seizures despite medical treatment. We reviewed how the outcome of video-AEEG influenced the medical management of patients who underwent this investigation at a neurophysiology department within a secondary care centre. Out of a total of 171 consecutive video-AEEG studies performed over a period of two years, 111 could be included in our retrospective analysis, based on availability and completeness of relevant clinical information pre- and post-investigation. In our sample, 55.9% of patients had typical clinical events captured on video-AEEG and diagnostic yield was higher in patients with a previously established diagnosis of epilepsy (n = 62; diagnostic yield 62.9%). A total of 27 patients (24.3%) had changes in medical treatment following video-AEEG, most frequently antiepileptic drug introduction/increase when epileptic seizures were captured. This proportion was similar between patients with or without a previously established diagnosis of epilepsy. Our findings in a real-life setting confirm the usefulness of video-AEEG in influencing the clinical attitude towards complex patients with suspected or longstanding history of epilepsy.