Practice corner: will it happen again doctor? Prognosis after a first seizure

Abstract

hat's your use-by-date? There has been controversy about whether clinicians get better or worse with age. The Notebook in this issue discusses the interpretation of a recent systematic review on the topic. It makes essential reading. The Practice Corner in this issue looks at a question that has troubled me since medical school: what is the risk of re-seizure after a first seizure? Prognosis is generally less well researched and synthesised than therapeutics, so this article gives some useful tips and tactics. However, it would be lovely to see a Cochrane equivalent for natural history and prognosis, as this is fundamental to informed patient choices. We also continue our series on short exposés of tricky statistical issues: this time the "weighted event rates" often used in meta-analyses. If you have a particular statistical issue you'd like to see covered, please let us know. We would also welcome short items on EBM related issues, such as teaching tips, how you got interested in EBM, or relevant quotes. Happy reading,