Association of Interictal Respiratory Variability and Severity of Postictal Hypoxemia After Generalized Convulsive Seizures.
Publication/Presentation Date
4-14-2026
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Severe hypoxemia after generalized convulsive seizures (GCSs) can trigger neural injury and is a potential biomarker for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Some degree of variability in interbreath interval is normal, but increased variability may suggest dysfunctional breathing control and may be associated with severe postictal hypoxemia. We evaluated the relationship between interictal breathing variability and severity and duration of hypoxemia after GCS.
METHODS: We prospectively collected video-EEG, respiratory flow and effort, pulse oximetry (SpO
RESULTS: Of 2,506 participants enrolled, 257 (141 [∼54%] female; mean age = 37.9 years) had ≥1 GCS, but only 152 GCS in 123 had evaluable respiratory data. Multivariable model for hypoxemia duration showed that SpO
DISCUSSION: Measures of interictal respiratory variability are associated with severe and prolonged hypoxemia after GCS. Increased interictal respiratory variability suggests baseline respiratory dysregulation in some PWE and may be a surrogate for SUDEP risk.
Volume
106
Issue
7
First Page
214749
Last Page
214749
ISSN
1526-632X
Published In/Presented At
Caplan, J., Vilella, L., Lee, P., Nair, R., Dragon, D., Wendt, L. H., Ten Eyck, P., Ogren, J. A., Lecumberri, N., Hampson, J. P., Rani, M. R. S., Diehl, B., Friedman, D., Devinsky, O., Bateman, L. M., Harper, R. M., Tao, S., Zhang, G. Q., Nei, M., Schuele, S. U., … Center for SUDEP Research (CSR) (2026). Association of Interictal Respiratory Variability and Severity of Postictal Hypoxemia After Generalized Convulsive Seizures. Neurology, 106(7), e214749. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214749
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
41805401
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article