First-Seizure Clinic Attendance Cuts Later Health Care Utilization

FRIDAY, May 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- First-seizure clinic (FSC) attendance is associated with reduced rates of subsequent health care utilization, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Neurology to coincide with the annual scientific meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists, held from May 21 to 24 in Adelaide, Australia.

Yingtong Li, M.D., from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study involving patients who booked appointments at two FSCs between 2007 and 2018 to examine whether FSC attendance and time to FSC are associated with subsequent health care utilization and mortality. Of the 10,162 patients with appointments at FSCs, 9,392 were linked for analysis, with a mean follow-up of 6.9 years.

The researchers found that FSC attendance was associated with reduced subsequent all-cause emergency presentations and all-cause hospitalization (adjusted incidence rate ratios [aIRRs], 0.72 and 0.81, respectively). Compared with those who attended a rescheduled, delayed appointment, those who attended the first scheduled appointment had reduced subsequent all-cause emergency presentations, all-cause hospitalization, and seizure-related presentations (aIRRs, 0.83, 0.71, and 0.40, respectively), as well as lower mortality (hazard ratio, 0.82). Male sex, injury at emergency presentation, psychiatric comorbidity, previous seizure-related presentations, and delays (>14 days) between FSC referral and appointment were associated with nonattendance (adjusted relative risks, 1.12, 1.12, 1.68, 1.35, and 1.35, respectively).

"Our findings provide an evidence base to adequately resource FSCs to expand access and reduce wait times to less than 14 days," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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