No single measure was identified for use across the range of FND symptoms in adults .
Across r and omised controlled trials ( k=40 ) and observational treatment studies ( k=40 ) , outcome measures most often assessed core FND symptom change .
Other domains measured commonly were additional physical and psychological symptoms , life impact ( ie , quality of life , disability and general functioning ) and health economics/cost-utility ( eg , healthcare re source use and quality -adjusted life years ) .
CONCLUSIONS There are few well-vali date d FND-specific outcome measures .
OBJECTIVES We aim ed to identify existing outcome measures for functional neurological disorder ( FND ) , to inform the development of recommendations and to guide future research on FND outcomes .
Brief group psychoeducation for psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: a neurologist-initiated program in an epilepsy center.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate therapeutic efficacy upon augmenting the initial communication to patients regarding the diagnosis of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures ( PNES ) with a novel , brief group psychoeducation administered by the same team that provided the video-electroencephalography ( VEEG ) confirmed diagnosis and within 4 weeks of the diagnosis . METHODS Prior to discharge from the epilepsy monitoring unit ( EMU ) , a st and ardized communication strategy was utilized to explain the diagnosis of PNES to all patients prior to enrollment . Enrolled patients were then r and omized to either participation in three successive and monthly group psychoeducational sessions ( intervention group ) , or routine seizure clinic follow-up visits ( control group ) . Both groups completed question naires at time of enrollment , and then at approximately 3 months ( follow-up 1 ) and 6 months ( follow-up 2 ) after discharge , assessing for : ( 1 ) primary outcomes that include a measure of psychosocial functioning , as well as interval difference in seizure frequency/intensity ; and ( 2 ) secondary outcomes that include interval seizure-related emergency room visits or hospitalizations , development of new and medically unexplained symptoms , and results of an internal measure of knowledge and perception outcomes . RESULTS The majority ( 73 % ) of patients from the intervention group commenced on therapy sessions within 4 weeks after learning of the diagnosis . Although we did not observe significant group difference in seizure frequency/intensity , patients from the intervention group showed significant improvement on the Work and Social Adjustment Scale ( WSAS ) scores at both follow-up 1 ( p = 0.013 ) and follow-up 2 ( p = 0.038 ) after discharge from the EMU . In addition , we observed a trend toward lesser likelihood for seizure-related emergency room visits or hospitalizations for the intervention group ( p = 0.184 ) , as well as meaningful insights from an internal measure of intervention outcomes . SIGNIFICANCE These findings suggest that our cost/re source effective , brief group psychoeducational program , when administered early and by the same team who confirmed and communicated the diagnosis of PNES , may contribute to significant functional improvement among participating patients
No single measure was identified for use across the range of FND symptoms in adults .
Across r and omised controlled trials ( k=40 ) and observational treatment studies ( k=40 ) , outcome measures most often assessed core FND symptom change .
Other domains measured commonly were additional physical and psychological symptoms , life impact ( ie , quality of life , disability and general functioning ) and health economics/cost-utility ( eg , healthcare re source use and quality -adjusted life years ) .
CONCLUSIONS There are few well-vali date d FND-specific outcome measures .
OBJECTIVES We aim ed to identify existing outcome measures for functional neurological disorder ( FND ) , to inform the development of recommendations and to guide future research on FND outcomes .