Electroencephalography at the time of Covid-19 pandemic in Italy

Abstract

Objective During the Covid-19 pandemic, government restrictions limited health care to urgent needs. Neurophysiology centers had to suddenly reschedule their activities, with a lack of specific recommendations about electroencephalography (EEG) execution. During the pandemic phase 1, we launched an online survey to understand the flaws and strengths of the EEG management in Italy at the time of Covid-19 pandemic. Methods A 45-item online survey (published from April 16 to 30, 2020), endorsed by the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (SINC), the Italian League Against epilepsy (LICE), and the Italian Association of Neurophysiology technologists (AITN), collected EEG management data (EEG's number and type, indications, personnel and patients safety, devices' sanification) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Results We received responses from 206 centers. The number of EEGs performed was reduced by 76 ± 20%, and several types of specific EEG (video-EEG, ambulatory-EEG, LTM, polysomnography) were reduced at a minimum. Half of the centers performed inpatient EEGs only for urgencies. Repetitive seizures, encephalitis, and non-convulsive status epilepticus were the most common indications. Covid-19-positive patients received less EEG than negative ones (p < 0.0001). EEG requests came mainly not only from neurologists (n = 176) but also from general practitioners (n = 40), emergentists (n = 79), intensivists (n = 72), and other specialists (n = 53). Those centers which continued performing outpatient EEG examinations were instructed to perform the EEG after a Covid-19-related symptom screening for patients and using personal protective equipment (PPE) through all the procedure. Inpatient EEGs were performed using FFP2/FFP3 masks by neurophysiology technologists in only 50% of cases. Patients executed hyperventilation only for real clinical needs, but often (56%) with a mask. Conclusions Italian neurophysiology centers strongly adhered to government restrictions of lockdown. Some issues emerged, ranging from the evaluation of a proper indication for EEG, technical procedures of EEG recording, and protection of neurophysiology technicians.

COVID-19, de novo seizures, and epilepsy: a systematic review

“…EEG-related papers (Table 4): While change in mental status has frequently been reported in patients with COVID-19 [26,27,55,60,65,66,70], and while there are many reports on clinical and subclinical seizures and status epilepticus in these patients [33-47, 63, 66], EEG studies have been significantly ignored and underused in these patients globally. Three studies showed that EEG services have been significantly disrupted by the pandemic of COVID-19 [18,19,57]. Three other studies showed that many of the patients with COVID-19 and encephalopathy/seizures had epileptiform discharges/seizures in their EEG [29,54,55].…”

The Impact of COVID-19 on Epilepsy Care: A Survey of the American Epilepsy Society Membership

“…An Italian study that surveyed people with and without epilepsy found that those with epilepsy reported a significantly increased risk of seizures and difficulties in obtaining follow-up clinic appointments. 15 …”

“…An Italian study that surveyed people with and without epilepsy found that those with epilepsy reported a significantly increased risk of seizures and difficulties in obtaining follow-up clinic appointments. 15 Shortage of ASM has not been a major concern during the current pandemic. Most respondents did not notice lack of availability of ASM, with the exception of long acting levetiracetam.…”

Electroencephalographic findings in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review

“…Furthermore, there has been a drastic decrease in the number of procedures done during this pandemic [ 48 ]. The conduct of continuous EEG during this pandemic is limited to urgent cases only because of the safety concern imposed by the contagiousness of the virus and concerns to reduce the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 of EEG technicians during this pandemic.…”