Efficacy of verbal suggestion, verbal suggestion with a tuning fork, and verbal suggestion with a cotton swab for inducing the paroxysmal event during video-EEG recording in children with suspected psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Prateek Kumar Panda; Sachendra Badal; Vivek Sirolia; Indar Kumar Sharawat; Biswaroop Chakrabarty; Prashant Jauhari; Sheffali Gulati

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109818

Efficacy of verbal suggestion, verbal suggestion with a tuning fork, and verbal suggestion with a cotton swab for inducing the paroxysmal event during video-EEG recording in children with suspected psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Epilepsy Behav. 2024 Apr 30:156:109818. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109818. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Prateek Kumar Panda¹, Sachendra Badal¹, Vivek Sirolia¹, Indar Kumar Sharawat², Biswaroop Chakrabarty¹, Prashant Jauhari¹, Sheffali Gulati³

Affiliations

¹ Child Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.
² Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249203, India.
³ Child Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India. Electronic address: sheffaligulati@gmail.com.

PMID: 38692021
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109818

Abstract

Introduction: Video-electroencephalogram (EEG) with suggestion is widely considered the gold standard for diagnosing psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). However, ethical concerns and uncertainties persist regarding the most minimally invasive and least deceptive suggestion approach.

Materials and methods: In an open-label randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the effectiveness of three suggestion methods (verbal suggestion, verbal suggestion with a tuning fork, and verbal suggestion with a cotton swab) during short-term video-EEG (STVEEG) recordings to induce PNES in children aged 5-18 years. If the paroxysmal event couldn't be elicited with the assigned method, alternative techniques were employed.

Results: Out of 97 initially screened children, 75 were enrolled, with 25 in each group. The efficacy of all three suggestion methods was comparable in reproducing paroxysmal events (success rate of 16/25, 17/25 and 17/25 in verbal suggestion only, verbal suggestion with tuning fork and sterile cotton swab group respectively, p = 0.83) and the time required for induction (median of 2, 3 and 3 min respectively, p = 0.21). After trying alternative methods, 20 %, 12 %, and 12 % more patients in these three groups, respectively, were able to reproduce the paroxysmal event, with the differences not reaching statistical significance (p = 0.74). The assigned induction method or the success/failure of event reproduction did not significantly impact clinical outcomes at 12 weeks, and none of the patients in whom PNES could not be reproduced during STVEEG were later found to have an organic cause. Only the presence of psychiatric comorbidity independently predicted successful event reproduction during STVEEG, with statistical significance even after adjusting for other variables (p = 0.03).

Conclusion: The efficacy of verbal suggestion alone in inducing paroxysmal nonepileptic seizures is on par with using a tuning fork or cotton swab in conjunction with verbal suggestion during STVEEG.

Keywords: Antiseizure medications; PNES; Paroxysmal events; Suggestion methods; Video-EEG.