Epilepsy Transition Clinic Helped Teens Move To Adult Care

What was studied

This pilot evaluation looked at a new "Epilepsy Transition Clinic" started in 2023 at one institution for young people moving from pediatric epilepsy care to adult epilepsy care.

Researchers compared 39 patients seen in the transition clinic during 2023-2024 with 274 youth with epilepsy seen at the same center in 2019-2022. They also surveyed families about how acceptable they found the clinic using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM).

What they found

Transition clinic patients were more likely to attend their first adult appointment within 6 months of their last pediatric appointment: 82% did so, compared with 19% of historical controls who transitioned. Families who completed the survey rated the clinic highly, with a mean AIM score of 4.4 out of 5. The transition clinic group also had higher proportions of patients with intellectual disability and drug-resistant epilepsy than the earlier comparison group.

Limits of the evidence

This was a small pilot study from a single institution, so the results may not apply everywhere. It was not a randomized study, and it compared the new clinic with patients from earlier years, so other changes over time could have affected the results. Only 39 transition-clinic patients were studied, and only 10 families completed interviews, so family feedback may not represent everyone. The study focused on attendance at the first adult visit within 6 months and acceptability; it does not show effects on seizures, safety, quality of life, or long-term outcomes.

For families and caregivers

Moving from child to adult epilepsy care can be hard. In this study, a dedicated transition clinic was linked with more patients attending an adult care visit within 6 months of their last pediatric visit. Families may see this as a potentially helpful model, but the evidence is still early.

What to watch next

Larger studies at multiple centers that track longer-term outcomes after transfer to adult care would help clarify how well this model works.

Terms in this summary

transition clinic

A clinic designed to help young people move from pediatric care to adult care in a planned way.

historical controls

A comparison group from earlier years, before the new clinic was started.

intellectual disability

A condition that affects learning, reasoning, and everyday functioning.

drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy that does not come under good control after trying appropriate seizure medicines.

continuity of care

Ongoing medical care without gaps when a patient changes doctors or clinics.

Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM)

A survey that asks how acceptable people find a program or service.