Do pets reduce the likelihood of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between the presence of pets in homes of epilepsy patients and the occurrence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).


METHODS
Parents or relatives of SUDEP patients collected over a ten-year period (2000-2009) in a large epilepsy unit were asked if the patient lived together with any domestic pet at the time of death or not. Patients who did not experience SUDEP served as controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Eleven out of the 1092 included patients (1%) experienced SUDEP, all with refractory symptomatic epilepsy, but none of them had pets in their homes at the time of death. In contrast, the frequency of pet-ownership in the control group (n=1081) was 61%. According to previous studies there are some indications that human health is directly related to companionship with animals in a way that domestic animals prevent illness and facilitate recovery of patients. Companion animals can buffer reactivity against acute stress, diminish stress perception and improve physical health. These factors may reduce cardiac arrhythmias and seizure frequency, factors related to SUDEP. Companion animals may have a positive effect on well-being, thus improving epilepsy outcome.
Centro de Cirurgia de Epilepsia, Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Vera C
VC
Terra
Américo C
AC
Sakamoto
Hélio R
HR
Machado
Luciana D
LD
Martins
Esper A
EA
Cavalheiro
Ricardo M
RM
Arida
Claudia
C
Stöllberger
Josef
J
Finsterer
Fulvio A
FA
Scorza
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057805:Pets