Trigger self-control and seizure arrest in the Andrews/Reiter behavioral approach to epilepsy: A retrospective analysis of seizure frequency

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective study is to describe changes of seizure frequency in epilepsy patients who participated in the Andrews/Reiter behavioral intervention for epilepsy. For this uncontrolled retrospective study, data was extracted from patients’ medical journals. Intention-to-treat-analyses were restricted to patients with sufficient documentation supporting a diagnosis of probable or definite epilepsy. Main outcome variable was a comparison of mean seizure frequency at baseline and towards completion of the program. The seizure frequency of 30 (50%%) patients showed a clinically meaningful improvement (>50% reduction of seizures) towards the end of the intervention. Twenty-two (37%) patients became seizure-free at the end of the intervention. In summary, a clinically meaningful reduction in reported seizure frequency was observed in epilepsy patients who received the Andrews/Reiter intervention for epilepsy. Prospective trials are needed to further investigate the program’s efficacy and to study epileptic seizure triggers.

Stress and epilepsy: fact or fiction, and what can we do about it?

“…Although a 2008 systematic review38 of psychological treatments in epilepsy found no evidence of benefit, this largely reflected deficiencies in methods and the small number of studies. More recently, cognitive-behavioural therapy approaches have led to significantly (>50%) reduced seizure frequency (37%) in uncontrolled retrospective studies (n=60) 39. There was also benefit from cognitive-behavioural therapy in a small (n=37) open randomised control trial of compared to relaxation 40.…”

Psychological treatments for adults and children with epilepsy: Evidence‐based recommendations by the International League Against Epilepsy Psychology Task Force

“…The aim of nonpharmacological seizure management techniques is to increase life quality as well as decrease seizure frequency and/or duration. Seizure management techniques could pragmatically be divided into 3 different approaches: (1) interventions to influence the consequences of seizures, for example, mindfulness training on awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance of seizure‐related physical symptoms; (2) interventions to affect the onset of seizures, for example, discrimination of seizure triggers through a functional analysis of individual seizure development and lifestyle recommendations for stress coping; and (3) techniques to abort ongoing seizures, for example, aura interruption techniques, that is, countermeasures to stop seizures from developing …”

“…interventions to influence the consequences of seizures, for example, mindfulness training on awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance of seizure-related physical symptoms; (2) interventions to affect the onset of seizures, for example, discrimination of seizure triggers through a functional analysis of individual seizure development and lifestyle recommendations for stress coping; and (3) techniques to abort ongoing seizures, for example, aura interruption techniques, that is, countermeasures to stop seizures from developing [109][110][111][112]. T A B L E 5 AAN LOE of studies investigating interventions aiming at improving medication adherence…”

How to Become an Agent of One's Own Healing Processes: Self-Management for Chronically Ill Patients in Integrative Health Care

“…Based on this assisted introspection, participants are enabled to change their patterns and partly even to change their physical symptoms and improve seizure control. This concept had been developed by a woman with epilepsy on her own [20] and shows the ability of affected persons to use their condition as a teacher. This paper shows that the development of 'inner wisdom' is a demanding process of self-awareness, which is rendered possible by the assistance of somebody.…”