AED | Audio Epilepsy Digest Episode 023 Companion

AED Quiz

Less invasive, but how much benefit?

Attribution, durability and the endpoint behind a safety claim.

This AED Quiz is for self-assessment and journal-club discussion. It is not accredited CME and does not provide CME credit.
EpisodeLess invasive, but how much benefit?
ReviewAI editorial/source review
ListenCanonical audio file

Learning Objectives

  1. Distinguish active-specific benefit from baseline improvement.
  2. Interpret follow-up outcomes with changing denominators.
  3. Separate radiological safety signals from clinical noninferiority.

Questions

1. In Hong’s small crossover trial, seizure reduction was similar during active taVNS and sham. What is the defensible conclusion?
Correct answer: B. The active-versus-sham contrast was not significant (p=.604). This small exploratory pilot neither establishes equivalence nor identifies all causes of improvement. Source: Hong, Results and Discussion.
2. At one year, 19 of 135 RF-TC-only patients in Pesente’s cohort were seizure-free. What must accompany this figure?
Correct answer: C. The one-year cohort is selected by subsequent treatment. Long-term missing data and changing groups prevent a simple same-denominator survival interpretation. Source: Pesente, section3.2 and Table1.
3. What does Hayashi’s lower rate of deep white matter infarction in volume-matched RF-TC operations establish?
Correct answer: A. The primary endpoint was radiological. Overall deficits were not significantly different; expected permanent deficits occurred after RF-TC. Historical, anatomical and SEEG-use differences remain. Source: Hayashi, sections3.2–3.4 and4.5.
4. Which statement correctly distinguishes the RF-TC techniques in the two studies?
Correct answer: D. Different procedures and populations preclude cross-study efficacy ranking. Favorable ILAE1–3 also differs from seizure freedom. Sources: Hayashi section2.5; Pesente section2.4.

Reflection

What would change how you discuss this episode's evidence in journal club, clinic, or surgical conference?

Review Basis

Questions were drafted from the release show note, episode source-review boundary, and available episode planning materials. The page is intentionally framed as self-assessment, not accredited CME.