Is patient acceptance of the diagnosis of functional (psychogenic nonepileptic) seizures linked to their clinical characteristics?, 2020, Asadi-Pooya

[Andy]

Purpose
We investigated the rate of acceptance of functional seizures (FS) or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) diagnosis in a cross-sectional study in a cohort from Iran. We hypothesized that the acceptance of FS diagnosis has association with clinical characteristics of the patients.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study, all patients with FS, who were diagnosed at Shiraz Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Iran, from 2008 until 2018, were investigated. In a phone call interview in February 2020, we obtained the following information: whether they have accepted the diagnosis that was delivered to them; what is their seizure outcome (seizure-free during the past 12 months or not).

Results
100 patients participated; at the time of the follow-up call, 74 (74%) patients expressed that they have accepted the diagnosis of FS. At the follow-up call, 48 patients (48%) were seizure-free and 52 patients (52%) were suffering from FS yet; 34 of seizure-free patients (71%) and 40 of those patients who still had seizures (77%) expressed that they have accepted the diagnosis of FS (p = .504; Fisher's exact test). Patients' characteristics and seizure semiology were not associated with the acceptance of the diagnosis of FS.

Conclusion
That the majority of patients with FS accept their diagnosis if it is delivered to them appropriately, and demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients do not have associations with this.

Paywall, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399920307558
Not available via Sci hub at time of posting.

 

[rvallee]

That the majority of patients with FS accept their diagnosis

What's that even supposed to mean? There is a statutory authority role here, the patient is completely at the mercy of the physicians and generally trusts them not to BS. Do these people truly expect that sick mostly young women in a highly conservative society to openly object to what a likely male physician with statutory authority tells them? Come on, at least pretend to be serious here.

if it is delivered to them appropriately

Who decides that? Based on how "well" it is accepted? That's basically sales. Scientology is great at getting people to accept something they delivered appropriately.

 

[Woolie]

I noticed the incredibly low recovery rate from functional seizures here (less than half). I'm assuming that those who were diagnosed were given the access to psychotherapy to sort out their "emotional problems". I guess some people just aren't willing put the effort in.