Haluk Topaloglu, İstanbul
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a health hazard of interest to epileptologists as well as general pediatric neurologists. Every consultant has likely experienced at least one or two unfortunate cases. While the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled seizures, it is rarely discussed with families. We still cannot accurately predict individualized SUDEP risk, with existing guidelines falling short due to multi-variate nature of the phenomenon. Current data suggest that uncontrolled or frequent seizures, especially generalized convulsive seizures, and possibly early onset seizures and lunger duration of epilepsy are risk factors for SUDEP. The story is never over. Here a group of young Turkish researchers briefly discuss a few new matters related to SUDEP based on three recent papers. These discuss proteomics related to SUDEP, the cardiac autonomic involvement, and a possible tool to predict SUDEP. I hope you will find them constructive. I thank Drs. Didem Aydoğdu, Miraç Yıldırım, Ceren Günbey, Esra Serdaroğlu, and Nesibe Gevher Eroğlu Ertuğrul, with whom I had the pleasure of working closely until recently, for their input.