Case study of use of EpiTapp® app in structural focal epilepsy as component of rehabilitation program

Abstract

Introduction. In 2022, new clinical guidelines ‘Epilepsy and status epilepticus in adults and children’ were released, according to which it is recommended for adult patients with epilepsy to include behavioral methods in the form of self-management programs in addition to standard antiepileptic therapy as rehabilitation measures in comprehensive care for patients with epilepsy in order to improve the quality of life, cognitive functions and adherence to treatment. Considering the urgency of this problem and the opportunities offered by new clinical guidelines, there has been interest in a more detailed study of the EpiTapp® technique as an element of a self-management program in addition to standard antiepileptic therapy as a comprehensive care, using the example of a patient with structural focal epilepsy (SFE).Objective. To present a clinical case of using the EpiTapp® application as part of a self-management program in addition to standard antiepileptic therapy as a comprehensive care for an adult patient with SFE.Materials and methods. The study used the author's technique of brush tapping (RF patent No. 2606489 dated 10.01.2017). Patient A. used the EpiTapp® application in addition to the antiepileptic therapy she received, as a part of rehabilitation program for self-management of epileptic seizures, on an outpatient basis.Results. The analysis of the diary of observation of epileptic seizures showed that in 93 % of cases, patient A. managed to stop the incipient motor focal seizure (FS) and prevent its transformation into a bilateral tonic-clonic seizure. Thus, against the background of regular use of the EpiTapp® method, the patient's frequency of FS decreased by 55.8 % by visit 4 compared to visit 2. Patient A. rated the effectiveness and safety of the EpiTapp® application by 95 %.Conclusions. Thus, the use of the EpiTapp® application allowed a woman with difficult-to-treat SFE to gain control over epileptic seizures without changing the regimen and dose of antiepileptic therapy.