Peri-ictal ECG changes in childhood epilepsy: implications for detection systems
Katrien Jansen1, Carolina Varon, Sabine Van Huffel
1Pediatric Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B
|August 14, 2013
Summary
Early seizure detection in children using heart rate changes can improve epilepsy outcomes. This study found pre-seizure heart rate increases in 70% of focal seizures, aiding detection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Epilepsy in children carries significant risks.
- Early seizure detection is crucial for reducing morbidity and mortality.
- Identifying predictive markers for seizures can improve patient quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of ictal tachycardia in focal and generalized epileptic seizures in children.
- To determine if tachycardia can predict seizure onset.
- To identify informative electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters for seizure detection.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of ECG segments from 80 seizures in time and frequency domains, before and after electroencephalogram (EEG) seizure onset.
- Utilizing the Leutmezer et al. algorithm to correlate heart rate changes with seizure onset.
- Evaluating mean RR interval for specificity in detecting ictal heart rate changes.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in mean RR interval were observed before and after seizure onset in focal seizures (temporal and frontal lobe).
- Preictal heart rate changes occurred in 70% of partial seizures.
- Ictal heart rate changes were present exclusively in partial seizures in this pediatric cohort.
- Heart rate changes preceded seizure onset in 70% of focal seizures.
Conclusions:
- Heart rate changes, particularly preictal tachycardia, are reliable indicators for detecting focal epileptic seizures in children.
- These findings support the potential for seizure detection algorithms and closed-loop systems in managing refractory childhood epilepsy.
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