Evaluation of Wearable Electronics for Epilepsy: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects 50 million people worldwide. It is characterised by seizures that can vary in presentation, from short absences to protracted convulsions. Wearable electronic devices that detect seizures have the potential to hail timely assistance for individuals, inform their treatment, and assist care and self-management. This systematic review encompasses the literature relevant to the evaluation of wearable electronics for epilepsy. Devices and performance metrics are identified, and the evaluations, both quantitative and qualitative, are presented. Twelve primary studies comprising quantitative evaluations from 510 patients and participants were collated according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two studies (with 104 patients/participants) comprised both qualitative and quantitative evaluation components. Despite many works in the literature proposing and evaluating novel and incremental approaches to seizure detection, there is a lack of studies evaluating the devices available to consumers and researchers, and there is much scope for more complete evaluation data in quantitative studies. There is also scope for further qualitative evaluations amongst individuals, carers, and healthcare professionals regarding their use, experiences, and opinions of these devices.