Short-term videoEEG: Studio retrospettivo di 3 anni di esperienza clinica

Video electroencephalopgraphy (VEEG) is widely used to distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic paroxysmal events. Long-term VEEG is of good value for inpatients but is time- and resource-consuming. Short-term VEEG (s-VEEG) is more easily available but its role in clinical practice is not yet well established. In our study we reviewed anamnestic records, s-VEEG and final diagnosis of 116 patients with new onset (less than 3 months) paroxysmal disorders, referred to our Clinical Neurophysiology Lab during a 3-year period. Paroxysmal events were recorded in 30% of the s-VEEGs. Of these, 41% were finally classified as epileptic events, 35% as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, 18% as hyperkinetic movement disorders. A definite diagnosis was feasible in all but one of the cases where paroxysmal events were recorded. In 15% of the patients, the diagnostic hypothesis on referral was totally reversed.