Classification of Complex Features of Febrile Seizures: Interrater Agreement

Anne T. Berg, Mitchell Steinschneider, Harriet Kang, Shlomo Shinnar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Summary: As part of a prospective study of febrile seizures, three independent pediatric neurologists rated each of 100 febrile seizures for the presence of complex features: focality, long duration (≥10 min), and occurrence of multiple seizures. Seizure descriptions were assembled from all information available in the medical record and from a semistructured interview of a person who had witnessed the seizure. Interrater agreement assessed by kappa indicated excellent agreement with regard to whether the seizures were multiple or prolonged (kappa ≥ 0.85) and fair to good agreement with regard to focality (kappa = 0.61–0.78). Disagreement occurred most often regarding assessment of focality. Reasons for disagreement included variation in interpretation of lateral eye deviation, staring episodes, and motor asymmetries in the context of a bilateral convulsion.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)661-666
Number of pages6
JournalEpilepsia
Volume33
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1992

Keywords

  • Epidemiology
  • Epilepsy
  • Febrile seizures

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neurology
  • Clinical Neurology

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