Preferred practices for rescue treatment of seizure clusters: A consensus-driven, multi-stakeholder approach

Some of the most difficult issues in the care of people living with epilepsy (PWE) regard the definition, treatment, and communication of unexpected increase(s) in seizure frequency over a relatively short duration of time. In order to address this issue, the Epilepsy Foundation established the Rescue Therapy Project in Epilepsy to understand the gaps, needs, and barriers facing people with epilepsy who use or may benefit from rescue therapies (RTs) for "seizure clusters". The intent was to provide consensus-derived recommendations from a broad stakeholder group including PWE, their caregivers, epilepsy specialist physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and representatives of epilepsy & neurology advocacy and professional organizations.

During Phase 1, a group of epilepsy experts and stakeholders (N = 54) were divided into 3 workgroups that met by conference calls and in-person. Content of workgroups was developed into preferred practices related to RTs. In Phase 2, these recommendations were evaluated by a larger more diverse group of healthcare professionals, PWE, and caregivers. Agreement with recommended preferred practices at 80% or greater was set as the level to achieve consensus.

The preferred practices were centered around four core themes identified by the experts and key stakeholders: the importance of a common language; when RTs should be prescribed; assessing the need for RTs; and education/communication about RTs. Consensus from experts and key stakeholders was reached for 27 recommended preferred practices using the Delphi method. "Rescue therapy" or "rescue medicine" was the preferred term to describe what to name a treatment intervention in this context, and seizure action plans was the preferred term to communicate how to respond to a seizure or SCs and the use of RTs. In Phase 2, 23 of the recommendations reached final consensus, including the need for a common language, and the need to consider RTs and seizure action plans in all PWE in an individualized manner, several circumstances in which RTs should be prescribed, and the importance of education regarding RTs and SAPs.