Quantification of respiratory parameters in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
Dysfunction affecting cardiac or pulmonary systems has been postulated as a major factor in sudden death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Whilst the majority of studies of cardiorespiratory function have focused on changes during seizures, here we investigate whether epilepsy influences basal respiratory parameters in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) during the interictal period. Spirometry was performed in 10 females and 10 males. Measurements of Vital Capacity (VC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1) and ratios of FEV1 to FVC (FEV1/FVC) were obtained, and these values were analyzed as percentages of predicted values. None of the patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and no significant alterations in respiratory function tests were found among these patients. No association between seizure frequency, antiepileptic drugs and SUDEP could be found in this study. Although the study did not identify any specific respiratory abnormality in TLE patients during the interictal period, re-evaluation of clinical data on pulmonary disorders in people with epilepsy should be better investigated.
Laboratório de Neurologia Experimental, Universidade Federal de São Paulo/Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brasil. scorza.nexp@epm.br
Fulvio Alexandre
FA
Scorza
Ana Maria Fonseca
AM
Abreu
Marly de
Md
Albuquerque
Julio B Cota
JB
Pacheco
Renato
R
Breviglieri
Josemir Wanderley
JW
Sander
Antônio Carlos da
AC
Silva
Esper Abrão
EA
Cavalheiro
Ricardo Mario
RM
Arida
D000328:Adult; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013147:Spirometry; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*