Mohammed Gomaa*
Background: Electroencephalogram (EEG) serves a vital role in screening and diagnosing epileptic patients because it is a noninvasive tool to reveal the aberrant cortical excitability underlying epilepsy. To compare EEG results in adult neurophysiology units, Neurology department, Fayoum university hospitals according to the specialty of referring physicians. This retrospective survey included 1413 consecutive EEG referrals to exclude epilepsy. Epileptic patients admitted for EEG repetition for follow-up concerns were eliminated. Patients were classified into Four groups of EEG referrals. Group I was referred directly by neurologists, group II by psychiatrists, group III by neurosurgeons, and group IV was referred by physicians of other specialties.
Results: Among group I, 493 EEG referrals (252 abnormal, 51.1%). Group II, 134 EEG referrals (41 abnormal, 30.6%). Group III, 68 EEG referrals (23abnormal, 33.8%). Lastly, 718 EEG referrals were among group IV (181 abnormal, 25.2%). The p-value (0.0001) indicated a significant difference among study groups. A higher percentage of abnormal EEG results was noticed among neurologist referrals relative to other groups.
Conclusion: Review of EEG referrals by neurologist leading to a decrease in the number of normal EEG results and better stream of diagnosis and management. Incorporating data from referral reports with detailed history taking and provisional diagnosis is recommended to decrease the number of improper EEG referrals for non-epileptic patients by better using healthcare resources.
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