Semiological characteristics of patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Gender-related differences.
Epilepsy Behav
; 89: 130-134, 2018 12.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30415134
ABSTRACT
Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are more prevalent among women, and diagnosis may sometimes be delayed by as much as seven years. Understanding the effect of gender on the presentation of a PNES may assist with diagnosis based on semiological details in the clinical setting. Although video-EEG monitoring (VEM) is the gold standard for diagnosing PNES, determining gender-related seizure semiology through careful history may prevent diagnostic delay while waiting for VEM. The aim of this study was to investigate gender-related differences in the semiology of PNES. Patients, all aged at least 16â¯years, diagnosed with PNES following VEM between December 2005 and November 2016 were included in this study. All patients' medical records and video-EEG-documented PNES were reviewed, and the presence or absence of semiological signs was recorded for each documented attack. Demographic features and semiological signs of PNES were compared between female and male patients. Forty-one patients (31 females, 10 males) aged 27.2⯱â¯12.2â¯years (range 16-65) were included in the study. Mean age at onset of PNES was higher for female patients than males, at 24.3⯱â¯11.5 versus 17.5⯱â¯3.2â¯years (pâ¯=â¯0.005). The median duration of PNES was longer for female patients than males, at 10â¯min (range 5â¯s-120â¯min) versus 2â¯min (range 10â¯s-60â¯min) (pâ¯=â¯0.016). The most common symptom was forced eye closure in both genders. No significant gender-specific differences were observed in terms of the type or semiology of PNES. Although there are no major gender-related differences in PNES semiology, our findings highlight the importance of greater caution, especially in male patients, when diagnosing PNES, remembering that onset may also occur at young ages and that a short seizure duration does not exclude PNES.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Convulsiones
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Límite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
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Aged
/
Female
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Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Epilepsy Behav
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIAS DO COMPORTAMENTO
/
NEUROLOGIA
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Turquía