Scalp ripple rates for rapid epilepsy differentiation and seizure activity assessment: Applicability and influential factors

Abstract

Objective We aim to determine whether automatically detected ripple rate (ADRR) of 10‐min scalp electroencephalography (EEG) during slow‐wave sleep can be a useful tool for rapid epilepsy differentiation and seizure activity assessment, and we analyze the clinical factors that may affect the scalp ripple rates. Methods We retrospectively included 336 patients who underwent long‐term video‐EEG with a sampling rate ≥1000 Hz, and three groups were established based on their final clinical diagnosis (non‐epilepsy; non‐active epilepsy [epilepsy being seizure‐free for at least 1 year]; and active epilepsy [epilepsy with one or more seizures in the past year]). ADRRs between groups were compared and diagnostic thresholds set according to the maximum of Youden index with the receiver‐operating characteristic curve. Results The 336 patients comprised 49 non‐epilepsy and 287 epilepsy patients (95 non‐active epilepsy and 192 active epilepsy). The median ADRR of the epilepsy group was significantly greater than in the non‐epilepsy group, with a diagnostic threshold of 4.25 /min (specificity 89.8%, sensitivity 47.74%, p<.001). Following stratification by age, the area under the curve was greatest in the 0–20 year subgroup, threshold 4.10 /min (specificity 100%, sensitivity 52.47%, p<.001). Regarding distinguishing active epilepsy from non‐active epilepsy patients, the area under the curve was also greatest in patients 0–20 years of age, threshold 13.05/min (specificity 98.36%, sensitivity 35.64%, p<.001). Following stratification by epilepsy type, the diagnostic efficiency was best in children with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies/epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs/EEs) (threshold 5.20/min, specificity 100%, sensitivity 100%) and self‐limited focal epilepsies (SeLFEs) (threshold 5.45/min, specificity 80%, sensitivity 100%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the influential factors of ADRRs were age, depth of epileptogenic lesion, and seizure frequency. Significance ADRR of scalp EEG can be a rapid and specific method to differentiate epilepsy and evaluate seizure activity. This method is especially suitable for young patients.