Can ECG monitoring identify seizures?
BACKGROUND
Seizures affect the autonomic control of the heart rate and respiration, and changes in these two variables are known to occur during, and even before the EEG onset of the seizure.


OBJECTIVE
This work aims to quantify these changes and use them to identify the ECG onset.


METHODS
Single-lead ECG signals were recorded from patients suffering from focal and generalized seizures. Two algorithms are proposed: one quantifies changes in the QRS morphology using principal component analysis, and one assesses cardiorespiratory interactions using phase rectified signal averaging.


RESULTS
Positive predictive values of 86.6% and 77.5% and sensitivities of 100% and 90% were achieved for focal and generalized seizures respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Results for focal seizures are in accordance with the literature, and detection of generalized seizures is improved after including respiratory information.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings could improve monitoring systems in epilepsy, and closed-loop techniques that aim to stop seizures.
KU Leuven, Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT-STADIUS, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven, Belgium; iMinds Medical IT Department, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: carolina.varon@esat.kuleuven.be.
Carolina
C
Varon
Pediatric neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, UZ Herestraat 49, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: katrien.jansen@uzleuven.be.
Katrien
K
Jansen
Pediatric neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, UZ Herestraat 49, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: lieven.lagae@uzleuven.be.
Lieven
L
Lagae
KU Leuven, Department of Electrical Engineering ESAT-STADIUS, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven, Belgium; iMinds Medical IT Department, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: sabine.vanhuffel@esat.kuleuven.be.
Sabine
S
Van Huffel
D000293:Adolescent; D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Autonomic; Childhood; Epilepsy; Respiration; Seizures