Underestimation of sudden deaths among patients with seizures and epilepsy

Abstract

<div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="d6815233e1309"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d6815233e1310">Objective:</h5> <p id="d6815233e1312">To determine the definite and potential frequency of seizures and epilepsy as a cause of death (COD) and how often this goes unrecognized. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="d6815233e1314"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d6815233e1315">Methods:</h5> <p id="d6815233e1317">Prospective determination of seizures or epilepsy and final COD for individuals aged 18–90 years with out-of-hospital sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) from the population-based San Francisco POST SCD Study. We compared prospective seizure or epilepsy diagnosis and final COD as adjudicated by a multidisciplinary committee (pathologists, electrophysiologists, and a vascular neurologist) vs retrospective adjudication by 2 epileptologists with expertise in seizure-related mortality. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="d6815233e1319"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d6815233e1320">Results:</h5> <p id="d6815233e1322">Of 541 SCDs identified during the 37-month study period (mean age 62.8 years, 69% men), 525 (97%) were autopsied; 39/525 (7.4%) had seizures or epilepsy (mean age: 58 years, range: 27–92; 67% men), comprising 17% of 231 nonarrhythmic sudden deaths. The multidisciplinary team identified 15 cases of epilepsy, 6 sudden unexpected deaths in epilepsy (SUDEPs), and no deaths related to acute symptomatic seizures. The epileptologists identified 25 cases of epilepsy and 8 definite SUDEPs, 10 possible SUDEPs, and 5 potential cases of acute symptomatic seizures as a COD. </p> </div><div class="section"> <a class="named-anchor" id="d6815233e1324"> <!-- named anchor --> </a> <h5 class="section-title" id="d6815233e1325">Conclusions:</h5> <p id="d6815233e1327">Among the 25 patients identified with epilepsy by the epileptologists, they found definite or possible SUDEP in 72% (18/25) vs 24% (6/25) by the multidisciplinary group (6/15 cases they identified with epilepsy). The epileptologists identified acute symptomatic seizures as a potential COD in 5/14 patients with alcohol-related seizures. Epilepsy is underdiagnosed among decedents. Among patients with seizures and epilepsy who die suddenly, seizures and SUDEP often go unrecognized as a potential or definite COD. </p> </div>