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Table 4 Depicting variable study design

From: International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force’s current understanding of idiopathic epilepsy of genetic or suspected genetic origin in purebred dogs

Breed

Study

N

Study designs

Case selection

Inclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria

Investigations for confirmation of idiopathic epilepsy

Australian Shepherd

Weissl et al. 2012 [9]

50

Cohort, controls

Questionaire &phone interview

≥2 seizures ≥ 4 weeks apart, age at onset ≤ 5 years

History of skull trauma

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acid stimulation test

MRI/CSF (47 %)

Urinary organic/amino acids (20 %)

Post mortem (4 %)

Belgian Shepherd

Berendt et al. 2008 [23]

49

Population survey (breed)

Questionnnaire (validated) &phone interview

≥2 seizures

n.s.

n.s.

 

Seppala et al. 2012 [34]

94

Cohort, controls

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures

n.s.

Detailed examination (18 %) [35]

PE, NE, laboratory

MRI/CSF

Descriptive: EEG (18 %)b

 

Oberbauer et al. 2003 [35]

164

Cohort (family-based)

Owner-reported generalized seizures & questionnaire

≥2 seizures

n.s.

n.s.

 

Oberbauer et al. 2010 [36]

74

Cohort, controls

Owner and veterinarian reported generalized seizures

≥2 seizures

n.s.

n.s.

 

Gullov et al. 2012 [37]

51

Cohort, controls (family-based)

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥2 seizures

n.s.

PE, NE, laboratory with thyroid profile, ECG

 

Berendt et al. 2009 [41]

66

Cohort (family-based)

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥2 seizures

History suggesting intracranial disease and progressive neurological signs.

PE, NE, laboratory with thyroid profile, ECG

 

Famula et al. 1997 [38]

23

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire

1 seizure

n.s.

n.s.

142

≥2 seizures

 

Famula & Oberbauer 2000 [39]

21

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire

1 seizure

n.s.

n.s.

157

≥2 seizures

Bernese Mountain Dog

Kathmann et al. 1999 [45]

50

Cohort

Questionnaire

History of epileptic seizures

n.s.

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acid stimulation test, CSF

Border Collie

Hülsmeyer et al. 2010 [8]

49

Cohort

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥2 seizures, at least 4 weeks apart

Presence of any initial precipitating event (eg, head trauma), an identified brain lesion, or observational data consisting of less than 10 h/day.

PE, NE, laboratory

Border Terrier

Kearsley-Fleet et al. 2013 [17]

n.s.

Population survey (vet practice)

Electronic patient records

≥2 seizures for ≥ 1 year, or

Medical records documented disease that could have caused epilepsy including brain imaging abnormalities

PE, laboratory

≥4 prescript- ions of AEDs

 

Kloene et al. 2008 [56]

47

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire

n.s.

n.s.

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acid stimulation testa (10 %)

CT/CSF (10 %)

Urinary organic/amino acids (47 %)

Cavalier King Charles

Rusbridge&Knowler 2004 [58]

40

Cohort, controls (family investigation)

Owner-reported seizures

Diagnosis by veterinarian (generalized seizures, AED)

Clinical signs of CM

n.s.

 

Driver et al. 2013 [59]

29

Cohort, controls

Medical record search CKCS with CM

History of epileptic seizures

MR lesions other than CM or ventriculomegaly

Laboratory with bile acid stimulation test, CSF, EEGb

Abnormal laboratory data

Collie

Munana et al. 2012 [64]

29

Cohort

Questionnaire

Age of onset > 6 m/< 5 y, > 6 m prescription of AEDs

 

Laboratory

Dalmatian

Licht et al. 2002 [65]

11

Cohort

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥1 seizure

Evidence for structural epilepsy, seizures were not seen from the beginning

PE, NE, laboratory, bile acid stimulation test, tests for suspected toxin exposure

English Springer Spaniel

Patterson et al. 2005 [74]

45

Cohort

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥2 seizures, ≥ 4 weeks apart

Evidence for head trauma or toxin exposure

NE, laboratory age of onset < 6 m />5 y: MRI or CT WNL or > 2 y without interictal abnormalities

 

Kearsley-Fleet et al. 2013 [17]

n.s.

Population survey (vet practice)

Electronic patient records

≥2 seizures for ≥ 1 year, or

Medical records documented disease that could have caused epilepsy including brain imaging abnormalities

PE, CBC, biochemical profile

≥4 prescriptions of AEDs

Finnish Spitz

Jeserevic et al. 2007 [80]

15

Cohort, controls

 

≥2 focal seizures

 

PE, NE, laboratory

MRI/CSF (73 %), EEGb

 

Viitmaa et al. 2006 [81]

11

Cohort, controls

 

≥2 focal seizures

Evidence for structural epilepsy

PE, NE, laboratory, MRI/CSF, EEGb

 

Viitmaa et al. 2013 [82]

111

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire & phone interview

≥2 seizure episodes

Interictal neurologic abnormalities, onset < 1 y, only 1 seizure episode

PE, NE, laboratory (27.8 %)

 

Viitmaa et al. 2014 [83]

11

Cohort

 

≥2 focal seizures

 

PE, NE, laboratory

Golden Retriever

Srenk&Jaggy 1996 [85]

5

Cohort, controls

Questionnaire, medical records review

History of epileptic seizures, normal diagnostic tests

n.s.

EEGb

 

Srenk et al. 1994 [84]

36

Cohort

Questionnaire, medical records review

History of epileptic seizures, normal diagnostic tests

n.s.

PE, NE repeatedly, laboratory with bile acids or ammonia, CSF, EEG

 

Lengweiler&Jaggy 1999 [86]

25

Cohort

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures

n.s.

PE, NE repeatedly, laboratory with bile acids or ammonia, CSF

Hungarian (Magyar) Vizsla

Patterson et al. 2003 [87]

29

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures, ≥ 1 month apart

Evidence of toxin exposure or head trauma

NE, laboratory

If < 6 m/ > 5 < y: CT /MRI/CSF

Irish Wolfhound

Casal et al. 2006 [24]

146

Population survey (families)

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures

Other medical problems

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acids or ammonia or both post mortem exam (10 %)

Italian Spinone

DeRisio et al. 2015 [93]

63

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures, ≥ 24 h apart

n.s.

PE, NE, laboratory

onset >6 m / <6y

Labrador Retriever

Heynold et al. 1997 [94]

54

Cohort (medical records)

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures video documentation (28 %)

 

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acids or ammonia, CSF

 

Jaggy et al. 1998 [95]

55

Cohort, controls

Questionnaire

≥2 seizures

Other medical problems

PE, NE, laboratory with bile acids or ammonia, CSF at presentation and at 6 month follow-up

Lagotto Romagnolo

Jokinen et al. 2007 [105]

25

Cohort, case–control

Breeder-reported seizures families

Seizure episodes

n.s.

PE, NE, laboratory, MRI/CSF

EEG/EMG/BAERb

Post mortem (n = 1)

Petit Basset Griffon

Gullov et al. 2011 [25]

42

Population survey (breed)

Questionnaire (validated) & phone interview%

≥2 seizures, ≥ 24 h apart

n.s.

Laboratory, thyroid function, cardiac exam (45 %) bile acid stimulation test (21 %)

MRI (7 %)

Shetland Sheepdog

Morita et al. 2002 [109]

11

Cohort (family)

Prospective investigation

Repeated seizures

n.s.

Laboratory

EEG on repeated occasionsb

CSF (64 %)

Post mortem (64 %)

Standard Poodle

Licht et al. 2007 [113]

30

Population survey (family)

Short questionnaire, & phone interview, 6 months follow-up

≥1 seizure

History of illness or head trauma that could account for seizures

≥1 year unremarkable follow-up

Age of onset <6 m/>7.5y

 

Licht et al. 2002 [65]

41

Cohort

Owner-reported seizures

≥1 seizure

Evidence for structural epilepsy, seizures were not seen from the beginning

PE, NE, laboratory, bile acid stimulation test, tests for suspected toxin exposure

Questionnaire & phone interview

  1. asome dogs with elevated bile acids; b EEG was used for descriptive purposes and not as a diagnostic test for IE
  2. n.s. not specified, PE physical examination, NE neurological examination, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, CSF cerebrospinal fluid analysis, EEG electroencephalography, ECG electrocardiogram