Wrist sensor reveals sympathetic hyperactivity and hypoventilation before probable SUDEP
Picard RW, Migliorini M, Caborni C, et al. (2017) Wrist sensor reveals sympathetic hyperactivity and hypoventilation before probable SUDEP. Neurology. 2017 Aug 8;89(6):633-635.
First Paragraph: We report a probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in a 20-year-old man wearing a smartwatch that recorded wrist motion via 3-axis accelerometer (ACC) and electrodermal activity (EDA). EDA reflects sympathetic activity without parasympathetic antagonism. The smartwatch (Empatica [Milan, Italy] Embrace, with CE Medical clearance from the European Union for seizure detection) issued an alert, received by the caregiver at 8:50 AM, indicating a probable convulsive seizure. An adult trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) arrived at 9:05 AM, found the patient pulseless, prone, face in pillow with mucus in his mouth, and commenced CPR for 15 minutes without recovery. The family declined autopsy.