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Background and Objectives: To evaluate the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of patients in the United States referred to a multidisciplinary clinic for treatment of functional seizures. Methods: We identified patients who had or had not died based on automated retrospective review of electronic health records from a registry of patients referred to a single-center multidisciplinary functional seizures treatment clinic. We calculated an SMR by comparing the number of observed deaths with the expected number of deaths in an age-matched, sex-matched, and race-matched population within the same state, and year records were available. Results: A total of 700 patients with functional seizures (mean age 37 years, 78% female) were followed up for 1,329 patient-years for a median of 15 months per patient (interquartile range 6-37 months). We observed 11 deaths, corresponding to a mortality rate of 8.2 per 1,000 patient-years and an SMR of 2.4 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-4.22). Five of 9 patients with identified circumstances around their death were in hospice care when they passed. None of the identified causes of death were related to seizures directly. Discussion: These data provide further evidence of elevated mortality in functional seizures soon after diagnosis and referral to treatment. These data from the decentralized health care system of the United States build on the findings from other countries with large-scale health registries.

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OBJECTIVE: Autoimmune encephalitis can be followed by treatment-resistant epilepsy. Understanding its predictors and mechanisms are crucial to future studies to improve autoimmune encephalitis outcomes. Our objective was to determine the clinical and imaging predictors of postencephalitic treatment-resistant epilepsy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study (2012-2017) of adults with autoimmune encephalitis, both antibody positive and seronegative but clinically definite or probable. We examined clinical and imaging (as defined by morphometric analysis) predictors of seizure freedom at long term follow-up. RESULTS: Of 37 subjects with adequate follow-up data (mean 4.3 yrs, SD 2.5), 21 (57 %) achieved seizure freedom after a mean time of 1 year (SD 2.3), and one third (13/37, 35 %) discontinued ASMs. Presence of mesial temporal hyperintensities on the initial MRI was the only independent predictor of ongoing seizures at last follow-up (OR 27.3, 95 %CI 2.48-299.5). Morphometric analysis of follow-up MRI scans (n = 20) did not reveal any statistically significant differences in hippocampal, opercular, and total brain volumes between patients with postencephalitic treatment-resistant epilepsy and those without. SIGNIFICANCE: Postencephalitic treatment-resistant epilepsy is a common complication of autoimmune encephalitis and is more likely to occur in those with mesial temporal hyperintensities on acute MRI. Volume loss in the hippocampal, opercular, and overall brain on follow-up MRI does not predict postencephalitic treatment-resistant epilepsy, so additional factors beyond structural changes may account for its development.

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BACKGROUND: Migraine is a chronic disabling neurologic condition that can be treated with a combination of both pharmacologic and complementary and integrative health options. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: With the growing interest in the US population in the use of nonpharmacologic treatments, we reviewed the evidence for supplements and behavioral interventions used for migraine prevention. RESULTS: Supplements reviewed included vitamins, minerals, and certain herbal preparations. Behavioral interventions reviewed included cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, relaxation, the third-wave therapies, acupuncture, hypnosis, and aerobic exercise. CONCLUSIONS: This article should provide an appreciation for the wide range of nonpharmacologic therapies that might be offered to patients in place of or in addition to migraine-preventive medications.

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