Neurology
Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy
April 2003
Clinical Focus*
- What are the definitions of treatment-resistant epilepsy used in the literature?
- Which methods of rediagnosing or reevaluating treatment-resistant epilepsy lead to, or can be expected to lead to improved patient outcomes?
- Is there evidence that patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy are not optimized at their current level of treatment?
- Which drug treatment strategy, (1) sequential monotherapy, (2) polytherapy, or (3) optimized current therapy, leads to improved outcomes for patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy, and what are the relative improvements obtained with each strategy?
- Which methods of nondrug treatment for epilepsy after initial treatment failure lead to improved outcomes for patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy?
- Which social, psychological, or psychiatric services for treatment-resistant epilepsy lead to, or can be expected to lead to improved patient outcomes?
- What characteristics of treatment-resistant epilepsy interfere with ability to obtain and maintain employment, or attend and perform well in school?
- What is the mortality rate of patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy?
- Is there a correlation between the number and/or type of seizure and sudden death?
*Addressed in the summary or evidence report.
Management of Treatment-Resistant Epilepsy
Summary (Publication No. 03-E027, April 2003)
Evidence Report (Publication No. 03-E028, May 2003)
(PDF Files; File Download)
EPC: ECRI
Topic Nominator: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Social Security Administration
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