title: Postictal generalized EEG suppression is not associated with periictal cardiac autonomic instability in people with convulsive seizures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES) seems to be a pathophysiologic hallmark in ictal recordings of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). It has recently been suggested that presence and duration of PGES might be a predictor of SUDEP risk. Little is known about the etiology of PGES.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective case-control study in 50 people with convulsive seizures (CS) recorded on digital video-electroencephalography (EEG). One CS per individual was reviewed for presence and duration of PGES by two independent observers: Preictal and postictal heart rate (HR) (1 min before seizure onset and 1, 3, 5, 15, and 30 min after seizure end) and frequency domain measures of heart rate variability (HRV), including the ratio of low frequency (LF) versus high frequency (HF) power, were analyzed. The relationship between PGES and periictal autonomic changes was evaluated, as well as its association with several clinical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven individuals (74%) exhibited PGES and 13 (26%) did not. CS resulted in a significant increase of periictal HR and the LF/HF ratio. PGES was associated with neither periictal HR (mean HR difference between PGES+ and PGES- seizures: -2 beats per minute [bpm], 95% confidence interval [CI] -10 to +6 bpm) nor HRV change. There was no association between the duration of PGES and periictal HR change. People with PGES were more likely to be asleep before seizure onset (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% CI 1.2-18.3) and had a higher age of onset of epilepsy (median age 15 vs. 4 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PGES was not associated with substantial changes in measures of cardiac autonomic instability but was more prevalent in CS arising from sleep.
authors.affiliation: SEIN - Epilepsy Institute in The Netherlands Foundation, Heemstede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lamberts
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laranjo
authors.forename: Stiliyan N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kalitzin
authors.forename: Demetrios N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Velis
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Josemir W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Roland D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Thijs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000639:trends; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult