Epilepsy care during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected everyone around the world, not least through pressure on health care systems and delivery of care. The initial wave and consequent lockdowns led to the cancellation of routine investigations and elective interventions, and many health care providers had to move to alternative models of care delivery.First reported in China, COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a respiratory illness of varying severity, from asymptomatic to respiratory distress syndrome to multiorgan failure with a hypercoagulable and/or hyperinflammatory syndrome associated with high mortality. Tens of millions of cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed globally, with millions

An international study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on characteristics of functional seizures

“…Otherwise, the clinical and semiological characteristics of patients with FS were similar between patients who were diagnosed before the pandemic compared with those who received the diagnosis during the pandemic. Therefore, we can conclude that while this deadly outbreak has caused significant stress for everyone [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] , it has not affected the characteristics of FS significantly.…”

“…This virus is highly contagious and has a high potential for person to person transmission. This deadly outbreak has caused more than five million deaths, massive job losses, various psychiatric problems, and increasing numbers of relationship difficulties worldwide (all of which may be considered as potential precipitating factors for FS) [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] . Therefore, it is plausible to consider this pandemic as a potentially significant factor that may affect the characteristics of FS.…”

Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown, during the Two Waves, on Drug Use and Emergency Department Access in People with Epilepsy: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis

“…It is also possible to speculate that even the observed decrease of ASM incidence might be related to the corresponding decrease of epilepsy-related ED access, since lack of availability of trained clinicians and specialist services, as observed during the COVID-19 epidemic peaks, is likely to affect treatment initiation [ 25 , 26 ]. On the other hand, during the lockdown, telemedicine consultation experienced a rapid increase [ 27 , 28 ]. The use of this new tool allowed healthcare professionals to manage patients with epilepsy outside the hospital settings, thus potentially explaining why the prevalence of ASM use did not experience the same dramatic drop observed for the incidence of ASM use.…”

Epilepsy and COVID-19: Recent Findings and Considerations

“…국제항뇌전증연 맹(International League Against Epilepsy, ILAE) 웹사이트에서 2020년 4월 30일부터 9월 30일까지 시행한 설문에서 뇌전증 환 자의 약 28%가 의료 접근의 어려움을 호소하였고, 40% 정도의 환자가 원격 의료를 경험했다고 대답하였다. 47 뇌전증 치료 의료 진을 대상으로 한 설문에서도 COVID-19 범유행 전에는 약 63.4%에서 원격 의료 경험이 있었으나 이후에는 83%가 영상을 이용한 원격 의료 경험이, 42%가 전화를 이용한 원격 의료 경험 이 있다고 대답하였다. 48 캐나다에서는 비디오를 이용한 가상 진 료(virtual care)가 뇌전증 환자의 외래 진료에 있어서 유용함을 보고하였다.…”