The Changes in Cyclic Alternating Pattern Parameters of Epilepsy Patients

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the changes in the polysomnographic parameters and the cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) in generalized and partial epilepsy patients (with and without epileptiform discharges in EEG) using video-EEG-PSG recording. Materials and Methods: 73 patients diagnosed with epilepsy and 19 healthy controls within the same age group (control group) underwent an 8 hour long sleep video-EEG-PSG recording. After the first evaluation, CAP parameters were scored in 57 patients (31 generalized and 26 partial epilepsy) and 16 healty subjects who have no sleep diseases and the results were compared within groups. Results: Total sleep time and NREM I phase were found to be longest in the partial epilepsy group, shortest in the control group while REM phase was just the opposite to this. Mean CAP ratios were found to be statistically higher in the generalized epilepsy group when compared to other two groups. This difference was found to be continued when the control group and the generalized epileptic patients who had no abnormality in EEG. No difference was found between the partial epilepsy and control group regarding CAP ratios. Conclusion: Patients with generalized epilepsy have differences compared to healthy individuals regarding the macro and microstructure of sleep and it seems that these differences are independent of the epileptiform discharges. In partial epilepsy patients, no microstructural differences were detected while macrostructural changes were evident.