ABSTRACT

The association between non-epileptic consciousness disorders and electroencephalographic (EEG) findings is not clear. In this study we compared the EEG findings and cerebral disfunction criterias in the acute stage of the illness. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the disease severity and the pathological EEG findings.

Patients who were admitted to our emergency ward with acute consciousness disorder between the years of 2010-2012 were enrolled to the study. Glasgow coma scale (GCS), were applied to all cases. EEG abnormalities were classified in five groups; slow-wave activity, epileptiform activity, mixed forms, fast beta activity with low-amplitude and flat trace.

:The mean age of total 113 cases was 70.6±12 years; female/male ratio was 45/68. Ischemic stroke and encephalopathy ratio was 60% and 40% respectively. The ratio of epileptiform activities was 74% in patients with encephalopathy and the ratio of slow wave activities was %69 in patients with stroke. Higher score of GCS was related with slow wave activities and lower score of GCS was related with epileptiform activities.

Our results suggest significant relationship between stroke and slow wave activities, and also between epileptiform activities and encephalopathy based on impairment of consciousness. Further studies with long follow-up period are needed.

Keywords: Electroencephalography, Glasgow coma scale, consciousness disorder