Sudden cardiac arrest in epilepsy patients undergoing continuous video electroencephalogram monitoring: The National Inpatient Sample

Abstract Objective To examine the relationship between epilepsy and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and identify clinical and healthcare system related predictors of SCA in patients with a discharge diagnosis of epilepsy undergoing continuous video EEG (cVEEG) monitoring. Methods The national inpatient sample was used as data source to identify adults (18 years and older) with a primary discharge diagnosis of epilepsy who were at some point during their hospitalization on cVEEG monitoring. We applied a logistic regression model to identify independent patient-related and hospital/healthcare system-related factors associated with SCA. Results A total of weighted 10,059 (0.71%) patients with epilepsy on cVEEG had a secondary discharge diagnosis of SCA. The main independent factors associated with SCA were the presence of any of the following secondary discharge diagnoses: paroxysmal arrhythmia (OR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.96-2.66), myocardial infarction (OR: 3.78, 95%CI: 2.83-5.05), congestive heart failure (OR: 2.27, 95%CI: 1.93-2.62), and anoxic brain injury (OR: 57.6, 95%CI: 50.83-67.27). There was no association between refractory epilepsy and SCA (OR: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.51-1.93). Conclusion SCA is a rare event occurring in