Sudden Death in Epilepsy: Knowledge among Pediatric Providers

Madison M Berl; Howard P Goodkin; Barbara L Kroner; Adrian Bumbut; Gardiner Lapham; William Davis Gaillard

doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.05.036

Sudden Death in Epilepsy: Knowledge among Pediatric Providers

J Pediatr. 2017 Sep:188:291-293.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.05.036. Epub 2017 Jun 16.

Authors

Madison M Berl¹, Howard P Goodkin², Barbara L Kroner³, Adrian Bumbut⁴, Gardiner Lapham⁴, William Davis Gaillard⁵

Affiliations

¹ Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC; Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC. Electronic address: mberl@childrensnational.org.
² Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA.
³ RTI International, Durham, NC.
⁴ Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC.
⁵ Center for Neuroscience, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC; Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, George Washington University, Washington, DC.

PMID: 28629685
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.05.036

Abstract

A survey of 146 pediatric care providers (PCPs) revealed that 75.3% were unaware that children with epilepsy were at risk of death, specifically from sudden unexpected (or unexplained) death in epilepsy (SUDEP). PCPs assume that the treating neurologist discusses these risks. Increasing PCPs' knowledge of SUDEP will help address the care gap related to informing families about SUDEP.

Keywords: SUDEP; epilepsy; mortality; risk; seizure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Clinical Competence*
Death, Sudden / etiology*
Epilepsy / complications*
Humans
Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
Pediatricians
Physicians, Family
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States