Retrospective Analysis of Nonepileptic Patients With Isolated Epileptiform Discharges Treated With Anticonvulsants

Abstract

Many antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been tested on nonepileptic patients with a variety of diagnoses. The Food and Drug Administration has only approved certain AEDs for a small number of psychiatric conditions. There are few studies of nonepileptic patients that recommend an empirical trial of AEDs when isolated epileptiform discharges (IEDs) are identified in the electroencephalogram (EEG). However, no trials have been published. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of treating nonepileptic patients with AEDs when IEDs are present. Refractory cases were reviewed from a multidisciplinary practice whose EEG readings contained IEDs and were subsequently medicated with anticonvulsants by the clinic’s psychiatrist. The psychiatrist’s progress notes were assessed to determine the impact of adding anticonvulsants based on parent reports, teacher reports, and clinical observation. The final sample was composed of 76 refractory cases. Of the 76 patients treated with anticonvulsants, the majority were found to be improved in follow-up progress notes: 65 improved (85.53%), 6 unchanged (7.89%), and 5 more severe (6.58%). These observational findings suggest that further studies will be needed to show that IEDs may predict positive treatment outcome to anticonvulsant medication and act as a step toward an evidence-based treatment. Also, EEG screening may prove to be useful for refractory cases regardless of age, gender, or diagnosis.