Epilepsy, Non-Epileptic Seizure
Conditions
Brief summary
Breath and sweat samples will be collected from people who have been admitted to hospital after a potential seizure and analysed by the team. The researchers then hope to identify a pattern of small molecules that can distinguish seizures from other events, and perhaps determine the severity of the seizure.
Detailed description
Determining whether someone has had an epileptic seizure, or another event, can be challenging and result in the wrong diagnosis. A 'seizure test' used after the event would therefore be very helpful. Researchers have used small molecules released from the body in breath and sweat to detect cancers and other diseases; this study will determine whether a similar method can be used to detect whether someone has had an epileptic seizure.
Interventions
OTHERSample Collection
Patients will have breath samples collected by blowing into a bag, and sweat samples collected by gauze. These samples will be collected at various timepoints whilst the patients are admitted on the ward.
Sponsors
Imperial College London
University College London Hospitals
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Patients who have been admitted to either University College London's Queen's Square EEG-telemetry unit or Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, for diagnosis of seizure events. 2. Patients aged 18 years or above
Exclusion criteria
1. Patients with active infection or who have taken antibiotics within 4 weeks 2. Patients on immunosuppressive medications 3. Patients with co-morbidities preventing breath collection 4. Patients unable to provide informed consent.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Distinguishing epileptic from non-epileptic seizures | 3 years | To distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic seizures with the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath and sebum samples. |
Countries
United Kingdom
Contacts
Primary ContactEleonora Lugara, PhD
Backup ContactGrace Luff, MSc
Outcome results
None listed