title: Sudden death in epilepsy: Insights from the last 25 years.
abstract: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading cause of mortality in patients with refractory epilepsy, and as such has been a major research focus over the last 25 years. The earliest SUDEP research papers were published in Seizure, as have scores of SUDEP papers since. In this review we discuss the efforts to try and describe the pathophysiological basis of SUDEP, the drive to discover the clinical risk factors that increase the likelihood of SUDEP, and the motivation to increase awareness of SUDEP. These three areas are the prime factors that, when answered, will allow us to better mitigate against SUDEP and help individuals monitor their personal risk. The field has benefited from strong definitions, multinational collaboration, the use of cutting edge genetic analysis, and ensuring that bereaved families are able to take part in research when this is appropriate. Clearly there is much that we do not know and yet, has any area of epilepsy research come so far in the last 25 years?
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, United Kingdom.
authors: Lliwen A
authors: LA
authors: Jones
authors: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, United Kingdom; Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ThomasRH5@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors: Rhys H
authors: RH
authors: Thomas
mesh_terms: D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history / Q000401:mortality; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Death; Epilepsy; SUDEP