Feasibility assessment of patient-controlled EEG home-monitoring: More results from the HOME study.

OBJECTIVE

The feasibility phase of the HOME (Home-Monitoing and Education) project aims to show the practical feasibility of Electroencephalography (EEG)home-monitoring using a patient-controlled mobile system. Its objective is to assess the potential diagnostic and therapeutic yields of home-monitoring compared to conventional healthcare.

METHODS

16 office-based practitioners chose 97 patients and recorded standard 20-minute EEGs using conventional recorders. After training, the same patients used a patient-controlled mobile dry electrode EEG system in their home environment. The practitioners in charge and two additional raters assessed all recordings. We conducted inter-rater and intra-rater comparisons between the diagnostic findings.

RESULTS

89 patients successfully conducted home-monitoring recordings. The intra-rater comparison results for the diagnostic findings of the conventional recordings and the patient-made recordings show a fair Cohen's kappa value (0.21). Additionally, we documented a change of patient management in 9 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The feasibility of EEG home-monitoring using a patient-controlled device is confirmed. The yield of EEG home-monitoring comprises information that can influence patient management.

SIGNIFICANCE

Patient-controlled EEG home-monitoring is feasible as part of routine care for neurological outpatients as its technical efficacy and practical feasibility are shown and significantly positive effects on patient management are evidenced.