What do epileptiform discharges mean?

Generalized periodic epileptiform discharges are defined as periodic complexes occupying at least 50% of a standard 30-minute EEG over both hemispheres in a symmetric, diffuse, and synchronized manner.

Does epileptiform discharges mean epilepsy?

The name benign epileptiform transients of sleep (BETS) belies its clinical signifance. Seen in temporal regions during drowsiness or sleep as small spikes/discharges without slow wave; similar discharges can be associated with epilepsy when they are frequent, consistently unilateral, or associated with focal slowing.

What does an epileptic seizure look like on an EEG?

Your doctor may refer to these waves as “epileptiform abnormalities” or “epilepsy waves.” They can look like spikes, sharp waves, and spike-and-wave discharges.

Do epileptic seizures show up on EEG?

An EEG can usually show if you are having a seizure at the time of the test, but it can’t show what happens to your brain at any other time. So even though your test results might not show any unusual activity it does not rule out having epilepsy. Some types of epilepsy are very difficult to identify with an EEG.

Do all patients with epileptiform discharges have seizures?

Only 33% of patients showed clear epileptiform abnormalities on routine EEG (45% with sleep). Forty two patients showed a clear ictal discharge on polysomnography. Mean seizure frequency was 20 /- 11/month, with only 34% reporting rare seizures during daytime wakefulness.

Should epileptiform discharges be treated?

Although there is no solid evidence for or against treatment of EDs, a non-evidence based practical approach is suggested. EDs in otherwise asymptomatic individuals should not be treated as the risks of treatment probably outweigh its dubious benefits.

What is the significance of focal epileptiform discharges in the EEG?

The first-hour-of-the-day sleep EEG reliably identifies interictal epileptiform discharges during long-term video-EEG monitoring. Epileptiform Discharges and Frontal Paroxysmal EEG Abnormality Act as Predictive Marker for Subsequent Epilepsy in Children With Complex Febrile Seizures.

What do epileptiform discharges feel like?

Interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs), meaning spikes, polyspikes, sharp waves, or spike and slow-wave complexes without observed clinical seizures, are commonly observed in children with epilepsy. Neuropsychological evidence indicates that childhood epilepsy often has negative effects on cognitive function [2].

How accurate is an EEG for seizures?

Based upon our positive likelihood ratios, and assuming a pre-test probability of 50%, an adult with ED on routine EEG after a first unprovoked seizure has a 77% probability of having a second seizure, whilst a child with similar findings has a 66% probability.