Better prediction of sudden unexpected death risk in people with epilepsy
Advancing SUDEP Risk Prediction Using a Multicenter Case-Control Approach
Researchers will look for patterns in medical records, brain and heart tests to predict which people with epilepsy are at higher risk of sudden unexpected death.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167567 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will gather past medical records from epilepsy monitoring centers around the world to compare people who died from SUDEP with matched patients who did not. The team will examine seizure history (especially generalized tonic-clonic seizures), nighttime supervision, post-seizure EEG changes, ECG findings, and brain MRI features across sites. They will harmonize diverse clinical data from over 40,000 screened patients and use advanced Bayesian and other statistical models to combine information and build risk prediction tools. The goal is to identify measurable signs that point to higher SUDEP risk and to guide future prevention efforts.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with epilepsy—particularly those with a history of generalized tonic-clonic seizures or who underwent EEG/ECG/MRI testing at an epilepsy monitoring center—are the focus and their records could be included or they might be eligible for future validation work.
Not a fit: Patients without epilepsy or those whose medical records lack detailed EEG, ECG, or imaging data are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians identify people with epilepsy at higher risk of SUDEP so they can offer targeted interventions and monitoring.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller single-center studies have linked GTCS, post-ictal EEG suppression, and heart abnormalities to SUDEP, but these findings have not been confirmed in large multicenter case-control analyses.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devinsky, Orrin — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Devinsky, Orrin
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.