Seizure Identification on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

NCT ID: NCT07136298

Last Updated: 2025-08-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-03
• Study Completion Date: 2025-08-31

Brief Summary

The aim of this project is to assess the ability of different groups of National Heath Service (NHS) professionals to correctly identify clinical seizures, and distinguish them from other movements commonly seen in the ICU environment, when shown digital video recordings only.

Patients on the ICU are at risk of having seizures, however also commonly make other movements, including shivering, jerking, tics and tremors. An Electroencephalogram (EEG) records the brain wave activity and can help distinguish epileptic seizures from other movements. In a study by Bendadis et al (2010), 52 video-EEGs were reviewed containing "possible seizures" on the ICU. They found only 27% recorded actual epileptic events, with the other 73% having a range of other movements. Malone et al (2009) studied accuracy of diagnosis of 20 video recordings of clinical episodes on the neonatal unit, comparing different staff groups. They found no significant difference between Doctors and Nurses in correctly identifying seizures, however found that accuracy of diagnosis was generally poor.

Clinical scientists are currently expanding their roles and responsibilities across Neurophysiology, including giving consultant-level advice on EEG investigations. EEG recordings on the ICU are often obscured by excessive, unavoidable electrical/movement artefacts caused by equipment such ventilators and pumps, and patient factors such as position, breathing artefact and suctioning. These make the EEG difficult to interpret (Boggs 2021). Assessing the clinical signs and symptoms which we may see in ICU patients, in the absence of interpretable EEG, is an essential skill.

This study aims to assess Clinical Scientists skills at clinical interpretation, in comparison with other staff groups in the ICU setting. Staff will be asked to watch video clips of events captured in the ICU, and tell us whether they think they are seizures or not, and explain their thought process behind the decision.

Conditions

Seizures

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: CASE_CONTROL
• Study Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Clinical Scientists

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Advanced Clinical Practitioners

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Intensivists

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Clinical Neurophysiologists

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Neurologists

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

ICU Nurses

Clinical Opinion

Intervention Type: OTHER

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Interventions

Clinical Opinion

Staff participants will be asked to review video clips of events captured during EEGs performed on the ICU and asked to state whether they think the event was an epileptic seizure or not, and what aspects of each event led them to that decision

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Staff working at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) in one of the following staff groups;

• Neurophysiology Scientists/Clinical Physiologists at Band 7 level and above,
• Neurophysiologists who have completed the CCT in Neurophysiology with at least 1 year of Adult ICU experience.
• members of the Neurology medical team with at least 1 years' experience of covering ITU
• Intensivists with at least 1 year's experience working on the Adult intensive care unit
• Nursing staff working on the Intensive care unit with at least 1 year's experience

Exclusion Criteria

• Staff not employed by NUH i.e. agency staff
• Staff in other groups not mentioned above

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Nottingham University Hospitals

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United Kingdom

Central Contacts

James S Baird

Role: CONTACT

james.baird@nhs.net

01159709146

Facility Contacts

James S Baird

Role: primary

james.baird@nhs.net

0115 9709146

Other Identifiers

24CN001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id