Neurophysiological Methods for Diagnostics and Treatment Monitoring in Patients of Advanced Age with Epilepsy

Through the last decades the duration of life and the number of elderly people is rapidly growing. In this age group morbidity of epilepsy is increasing very fast. Neurophysiological methods play an important role in diagnostics, classification of the disease and the type of the seizures, and in treatment monitoring in the elderly with epilepsy. The aim of the present study was to establish the significance of neurophysiological methods for diagnostics and treatment monitoring, as well as their relation with particular clinical characteristics of the disease in elderly patients. The study group consisted of 297 consecutive patients with epilepsy (average age 69.25±5.00 years). The methods used were documentary analysis, an interview of clinical factors, EEG (basic and control), video-EEG and statistical methods. Patients with longer duration of the disease were with significant worse neurophysiological results, higher seizure frequency and more in number antiepileptic medications. Epilepsy in the elderly is a major and growing issue. The results of the study will be useful in diagnostics and treatment monitoring in this age group.