Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40847614›Full record

ArticleJournal of feline medicine and surgery2025

Spontaneous late-onset myoclonic epilepsy in cats: 15 cases (2015-2023).

Theofanis Liatis, Athina Karpozilou, Alberta De Stefani

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of feline medicine and surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Epileptic seizures in cats: practical approaches to diagnosis.Journal of feline medicine and surgery · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Theofanis LiatisDepartment of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2815-2527
Athina KarpozilouSouthern Counties Veterinary Specialists, IVC Evidencia, Ringwood, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5356-6073
Alberta De StefaniDepartment of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to describe spontaneous late-onset myoclonic epilepsy (SLOME) in older cats.MethodsA retrospective, two-centre study was conducted on cats diagnosed with spontaneous (non-audiogenic) head myoclonus between 2015 and 2023.ResultsA total of 15 cats were included. Breeds included domestic shorthair (11/15, 73%) and one each (7%) of domestic longhair, Somali, Burmese and Russian Blue. Of the 15 cats, eight (53%) were castrated males and seven (47%) were spayed females. All cats were older, with a median age at presentation of 13.2 years (range 8.9-17). The median duration between the first episode and presentation was 5.5 months (range 1-24). All cats (15/15, 100%) presented with spontaneous, non-audiogenic myoclonus of the head, some of which had additional thoracic limb (3/15, 20%) or full body (1/15, 7%) involvement. Myoclonus frequency was progressive, with multiple daily or weekly episodes in half of the population (7/15, 47%). Two cats (2/15, 13%) had concurrent generalised tonic-clonic seizures. Eight cats (53%) had advanced imaging that was normal in all but three (37%) cats with concurrent brain atrophy, otitis media/externa and a pituitary mass. A diagnosis of SLOME was made in all cats. Levetiracetam (7/15, 47%) and phenobarbital (1/15, 7%) were administered, and all cats had a positive response, displaying either resolution or significant reduction in frequency of the myoclonus at a median follow-up time of 128 days (range 30-300).Conclusions and relevanceSLOME is a novel epileptic seizure phenotype prevalent in older cats, unrelated to audiogenic triggers, and occasionally accompanied by generalised tonic-clonic seizures. Levetiracetam could result in dramatic improvement.

Indexed as

Cat DiseasesEpilepsies, MyoclonicAge of OnsetAnimalsAnticonvulsantsCatsFemaleMaleRetrospective StudiesAnticonvulsantsHead jerkslevetiracetammyoclonusseizures

Identifiers

PMID40847614
PMCPMC12375169

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.