Department of Physiology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo, Brazil.
Epilepsy Behav. 2022 Jun;131(Pt A):108705. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108705. Epub 2022 May 5.
Despite the favorable effects of exercise in people with epilepsy (PWE), the lower participation in physical/sports activities may be partly due to inadequate knowledge and attitudes of health professional about their benefits. In this regard, in 2016, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) through its Task Force on Sports and Epilepsy published a consensus paper that provided general guidance concerning participation in exercise/sport activities for PWE. We investigated views and attitudes toward physical exercise practice among neurologists in Latin America.
A 22-item cross-sectional online questionnaire-based study among neurologists included the following: (1) profile of participating neurologists, (2) doctors' attitudes and perceptions about physical/sport activities for PWE, and (3) neurologist experience concerning patient's report about their involvement in physical/sport activities.
In total, 215 of 519 neurologists from 16 different countries returned the questionnaire. Although about one-third of neurologists had no information about the effect of exercise on epilepsy, and 60% of them did not know the published recommendations of the ILAE Task Force on Sports and Epilepsy, the majority (92.5%) advised the practice of exercise, were aware of sport activities for their patients and agreed that exercise can reduce comorbidities associated with epilepsy (X = 249.34; p < 0.001). Most of the neurologists did not believe that exercise is a seizure-inducing factor, but more than half would restrict their patients with uncontrolled seizures for exercise practice (X = 250.77; p < 0.001). Most barriers considered by PWE in the past, currently are not viewed by neurologists and their patients (X = 249.34; p < 0.001).
While this study reveals that neurologists have some knowledge gaps in attitudes toward physical exercise for PWE, encouraging attitudes were observed by neurologists. Considering that physicians can impact on patient confidence and decision, a better communication between neurologists and their patients concerning the benefits of exercise can increase PWE participation in physical/sports activities. To improve this scenario, more efforts should be made to increase the neurologists' knowledge and perceptions on this issue.
尽管运动对癫痫患者（PWE）有有益影响，但他们参与体育活动的比例较低，部分原因可能是由于健康专业人员对运动益处的了解和态度不足。在这方面，2016 年，国际抗癫痫联盟（ILAE）通过其运动与癫痫工作组发布了一份共识文件，为 PWE 参与运动/体育活动提供了一般性指导。我们调查了拉丁美洲神经科医生对体育锻炼的看法和态度。
对 16 个不同国家的 215 名神经科医生进行了一项基于 22 项问题的在线问卷调查，内容包括：（1）参与神经科医生的概况，（2）医生对 PWE 进行体育/运动活动的态度和看法，以及（3）有关患者参与体育/运动活动的报告，神经科医生的经验。
共有来自 16 个不同国家的 519 名神经科医生中的 215 名返回了问卷。尽管约三分之一的神经科医生不了解运动对癫痫的影响，60%的人不了解 ILAE 运动与癫痫工作组发布的建议，但大多数（92.5%）建议进行运动，了解患者的运动活动，并同意运动可以减少与癫痫相关的合并症（X=249.34；p<0.001）。大多数神经科医生不认为运动是诱发癫痫的因素，但超过一半的神经科医生会限制控制不佳的癫痫患者进行运动（X=250.77；p<0.001）。过去 PWE 认为的大多数障碍，目前神经科医生及其患者并不认为是障碍（X=249.34；p<0.001）。
虽然这项研究表明，神经科医生在对 PWE 进行体育锻炼的态度方面存在一些知识差距，但神经科医生表现出了鼓励的态度。考虑到医生可以影响患者的信心和决策，神经科医生与其患者就运动益处进行更好的沟通可以增加 PWE 参与体育活动的比例。为了改善这种情况，应做出更多努力来提高神经科医生对这一问题的认识和看法。
