Practice and diagnostic yield of sleep-deprived EEG within a decade: 1993-2003

Sleep deprivation for the diagnosis of suspected seizures is a suitable investigation widely diffused but still inconsistent. Assessment of demand and diagnostic efficacy is here reviewed in a series of 795 patients. The overall rate of the activation of interictal epileptiform abnormalities is 21%, appears to be linked to sleep occurrence in 85% of the cases, and to be higher in paediatric age.