Journal article
Postictal Atrial Fibrillation A Potential Biomarker for Severe Autonomic Dysfunction and SUDEP?
Russell Nightscales, Paul B Sparks, Terence J O'Brien, Piero Perucca, Shobi Sivathamboo
NEUROLOGY-CLINICAL PRACTICE | LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS | Published : 2021
Abstract
Postictal atrial fibrillation (PIAF) has rarely been captured during video-EEG monitoring (VEM), with the longest duration being <5 minutes.1, 2 Some cases have later died of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP),1 suggesting that PIAF may be implicated in the pathophysiology of SUDEP. Here, we report a case with drug-resistant epilepsy who experienced remarkably prolonged PIAF (>12 hours) during VEM, and subsequently died of probable SUDEP.