Gap finder

Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Population

Intervention or exposure

Comparison

Outcome

Any field or review title

Field or topic

Source

Review versions

970 questions in 77 reviews · Epilepsy

current versions

No studies 190 · 19.6%Ungraded 42 · 4.3%Very low 135 · 13.9%Low 289 · 29.8%Moderate 242 · 24.9%High 72 · 7.4%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Question	Effect	Evidence	Status / GRADE
Intervention NR Seizure freedom 1 study reported the incidence of seizure frequency in the intervention and placebo group The results show a trend in favour of the AED group · people with epilepsy and intellectual disability Pharmacological interventions for epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities (2015) · Cochrane	RR 2.92 [0.32, 26.77]	1 study · 73 participants	Low
Intervention NR Responder rate (≥ 50% reduction in overall seizure frequency) · people with epilepsy and intellectual disability Pharmacological interventions for epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities (2015) · Cochrane	RR 2.58 [1.6, 4.14]	3 studies · 382 participants	Low
Intervention NR Responder rate (≥ 50% reduction in rate of drop seizures) · people with epilepsy and intellectual disability Pharmacological interventions for epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities (2015) · Cochrane	RR 6.04 [0.27, 133.89]	2 studies · 313 participants	Low
Intervention NR Adverse events 4 studies reported the frequency of self reported adverse events in the AED and placebo groups The results show a trend in favour of the placebo groups · people with epilepsy and intellectual disability Pharmacological interventions for epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities (2015) · Cochrane	RR 1.13 [0.95, 1.35]	4 studies · 527 participants	Moderate
Intervention NR Although a higher percentage of people in the ATL and aCCT groups fell within Class I (seizure free) and Class II (> 50% reduction in seizures), no significant differences in seizure frequency were noted between the groups at 2 years after surgery... · people with temporal lobe epilepsy and intellectual disabilities Non‐pharmacological interventions for people with epilepsy and intellectual disabilities (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 60 participants	Very low
VGB vs CBZ monotherapy Time to treatment withdrawal · patients with epilepsy Vigabatrin versus carbamazepine monotherapy for epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	HR 0.75 [0.52, 1.1]	1 study · 446 participants	Low
VGB vs CBZ monotherapy Time to achieve 6‐month remission after the first 6 weeks of dose stabilisation from randomisation · patients with epilepsy Vigabatrin versus carbamazepine monotherapy for epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	HR 1.18 [0.89, 1.55]	1 study · 404 participants	Very low
VGB vs CBZ monotherapy Time to first seizure after randomisation · patients with epilepsy Vigabatrin versus carbamazepine monotherapy for epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	HR 1.57 [1.23, 2.02]	1 study · 404 participants	Low
VGB vs CBZ monotherapy Adverse events Visual field defects · patients with epilepsy Vigabatrin versus carbamazepine monotherapy for epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	RR 5.37 [0.27, 106.88]	1 study · 54 participants	Very low
Antiepileptic drugs vs placebo or standard care Early seizures Count of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 0.42 [0.23, 0.74]	5 studies · 987 participants	Low
Neuroprotective agent vs placebo Time to first seizure from randomization · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	0 studies · 0 participants	Ungraded
Anti‐epileptic drugs vs other anti‐epileptic drugs Early seizure Counts of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 0.66 [0.2, 2.12]	2 studies · 431 participants	Low
Anti‐epileptic drugs vs other anti‐epileptic drugs Late seizure Counts of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 0.77 [0.46, 1.3]	2 studies · 378 participants	Moderate
Anti‐epileptic drugs vs other anti‐epileptic drugs All‐cause mortality · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 0.53 [0.3, 94]	2 studies · 431 participants	Moderate
Anti‐epileptic drugs vs other anti‐epileptic drugs Any serious adverse event of treatment · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	0 studies · 0 participants	Ungraded
Anti‐epileptic drugs vs other anti‐epileptic drugs Time to first seizure from randomization · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	0 studies · 0 participants	Ungraded
Antiepileptic drugs vs placebo or standard care Late seizures Count of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 0.91 [0.57, 1.46]	6 studies · 1029 participants	Very low
Antiepileptic drugs vs placebo or standard care All‐cause mortality · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 1.08 [0.79, 1.46]	5 studies · 1065 participants	Very low
Antiepileptic drugs vs placebo or standard care Any serious adverse event of treatment count of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 1.63 [0.73, 3.66]	2 studies · 568 participants	Low
Antiepileptic drugs vs placebo or standard care Time to first seizure from randomization · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	0 studies · 0 participants	Ungraded
Neuroprotective agent vs placebo Early seizure Count of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 2.99 [0.12, 73]	1 study · 499 participants	Low
Neuroprotective agent vs placebo Late seizure Count of events · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 1.07 [0.53, 2.17]	1 study · 498 participants	High
Neuroprotective agent vs placebo All‐cause mortality · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	RR 1.2 [0.8, 1.81]	1 study · 466 participants	High
Neuroprotective agent vs placebo Any serious adverse event of treatment · people with traumatic head injuries Pharmacological treatments for preventing epilepsy following traumatic head injury (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	0 studies · 0 participants	Ungraded
Cognitive behavioural intervention vs treatment Depression: Sub‐threshold depressive disorder improved in the intervention group · adolescents with newly diagnosed epilepsy Neuropsychological and psychological interventions for people with newly diagnosed epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 30 participants	Low
Nurse intervention vs treatment Knowledge: nurse intervention appeared to help people with the least knowledge of epilepsy improve their knowledge scores · people with newly diagnosed epilepsy Neuropsychological and psychological interventions for people with newly diagnosed epilepsy (2015) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 90 participants	Very low
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam IV Non‐cessation of seizures · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.64 [0.45, 0.9]	3 studies · 264 participants	Moderate
Diazepam gel vs placebo gel Non‐cessation of seizures · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.43 [0.3, 0.62]	2 studies · 165 participants	Moderate
Diazepam gel vs placebo gel Adverse effects · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.5 [0.94, 2.37]	2 studies · 165 participants	Moderate
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam IV Requirement for ventilatory support · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.73 [0.36, 1.49]	3 studies · 264 participants	Low
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam IV Adverse effects · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	3 studies · 264 participants	Very low
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam IV Continuation of status requiring a different drug or general anaesthesia · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.63 [0.45, 0.88]	3 studies · 264 participants	Moderate
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam IV Death · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	2 studies · 203 participants	Moderate
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam plus phenytoin IV Non‐cessation of seizures · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	2 studies · 370 participants	Low
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam plus phenytoin IV Adverse effects · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.85 [0.63, 1.15]	2 studies · 370 participants	Moderate
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam plus phenytoin IV Deaths · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 178 participants	Ungraded
Lorazepam IV vs diazepam plus phenytoin IV Requirement of Ventilatory support · patients with status epilepticus Anticonvulsant therapy for status epilepticus (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 178 participants	Ungraded
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture plus Chinese herbs vs Chinese herbs alone 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency ( · children (0‐18 years) with generalised epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.13 [0.97, 1.31]	2 studies · 120 participants	Moderate
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs sham acupuncture Percentage reduction in seizure frequency ( · adults with intractable epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 34 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs sham acupuncture Improvement in quality of life (QOLIE‐89 score, which has a range of 0‐100, with higher score indicates better quality of life) ( · adults with intractable epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 22 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs sham acupuncture Withdrawal due to lack of efficacy ( · adults with intractable epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.33 [0.25, 7]	1 study · 34 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs sham acupuncture Adverse effects ( · adults with intractable epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	2 studies · 120 participants	Ungraded
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs phenytoin 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency ( · participants with epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.43 [0.46, 4.44]	2 studies · 150 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs phenytoin Adverse effects ( · participants with epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	2 studies · 120 participants	Ungraded
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs valproate Seizure freedom ( · participants with epilepsy (one included study only recruited children with absence epilepsy while another included… Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.75 [0.93, 3.27]	2 studies · 180 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs valproate 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency ( · participants with epilepsy (one included study only recruited children with absence epilepsy while another included… Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.32 [1.05, 1.66]	2 studies · 180 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs valproate Post‐treatment quality of life (QOLIE‐31 score, which has a range of 0‐200, with higher score indicates better quality of life) ( · participants with epilepsy (one included study only recruited children with absence epilepsy while another included… Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	1 study · 100 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs valproate Frequency of adverse effects ‐ dizziness ( · participants with epilepsy (one included study only recruited children with absence epilepsy while another included… Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 1.13 [0.47, 2.68]	1 study · 100 participants	Low
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture plus Chinese herbs vs Chinese herbs alone Adverse effects ( · children (0‐18 years) with generalised epilepsy Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	no estimate extracted	2 studies · 120 participants	Ungraded
Summary of findings: needle acupuncture vs valproate Frequency of adverse effects ‐ malaise ( · participants with epilepsy (one included study only recruited children with absence epilepsy while another included… Acupuncture for epilepsy (2014) · Cochrane	RR 0.69 [0.33, 1.47]	1 study · 100 participants	Low