Postictal Breathing Distinguishes Epileptic from Nonepileptic Convulsive Seizures

[Bernard]

Purpose: To examine postictal breathing pattern in generalized convulsive nonepileptic seizures (GCNES) and generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS) and evaluate this feature as a discriminating sign.

Results: The breathing after GTCS was deep with prolonged inspiratory and expiratory phases, regular, and loud (except for two short seizures). The breathing after GCNES was characterized by increased respiratory rate or hyperpnea with short inspiratory and expiratory phases, as can be noted after exercise. The breathing was often irregular, with brief pauses. The altered breathing lasted longer after GTCS. The two groups differed significantly in loudness of postictal respiration, postictal snoring (only with GTCS), respiratory rate (faster for the GCNES group), and duration of altered breathing (longer after GTCS) (p < 0.00001 for all features). FLHS shared postictal breathing features of GCNES, but had other distinguishing features.

Postictal Breathing Pattern Distinguishes Epileptic from Nonepileptic Convulsive Seizures

 

[RobinN]

The only problem with this info is that there will be those "experts" making the judgment as to what type of seizure it was. I have listened to EMTs observations of Rebecca's seizures (actually the postictal state) and at times I hear a question in their statements. They seem to think all TC seizures are the same and end the same. After reading the multiple posts I know that this is not true. I really don't know why many want to go down that route immediately rather than rule out other possibilities.

Seems John Roberts can have a seizure or two and it is just a idiopathic seizure, however if my daughter doesn't bite her tongue or pee all over herself it is seen as PNES. Or if she isn't quite as foggy after they question it. Now someone is going to be judging her breathing. At least I got her a bracelet so they don't immediately think it is drug induced.

Just a bit touchy on this subject after UCLA decided after a 20 evaluation to classify Rebecca's seizures as PNES. They wasted 6 mo of my life with this diagnosis. I understand for them it can be difficult to discern. Yet for the patient and family they deserve the benefit of the doubt to follow other avenues, such as nutrition, etc. I agree medication isn't always immediately necessary.

 

[brain]

Robin:

You might find this Thread in Conjunction
with this one rather interesting - it does
state in reference to FLE which often gets
misdiagnosed as NES (or PNES or Pseudo-
seizures) ...

New Member Thread

Read up on it - and it's shocking! A lot of
Neurologists and Epileptologists tends to
"IGNORE" FLE!

What is FLE? Read that thread!