Prospective study of new-onset seizures presenting as status epilepticus in childhood

• DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181d0cca2
• Publication Date: 2010-01-21T03:39:51Z
• Authors: R. K. Singh; S. Stephens; M. M. Berl; T. Chang; K. Brown; L. G. Vezina; W. D. Gaillard
• Keywords: Etiology; Convulsion

To characterize children with new-onset seizures presenting as status epilepticus at a tertiary care children's hospital.Prospectively collected data were reviewed from database derived mandated critical pathway. A total of 1,382 patients presented between 2001 and 2007.A 144 in epilepticus. The average age was 3.4 years. majority (72%) lasted 21 60 minutes. had no significant past medical history; one-fourth family history epilepsy. Five (4%) EEGs electrographic during the study, captured only prolonged monitoring. most common etiology febrile convulsion, followed by cryptogenic. acute symptomatic cause CNS infection; remote cerebral dysgenesis. Combined CT MRI provided diagnosis 30%. helpful identifying vascular lesions edema, whereas superior subtle abnormalities etiologies such dysplasia mesial temporal sclerosis.Children who present that is not convulsion should undergo neuroimaging initial evaluation. For any child presents has yet returned to baseline, possibility nonconvulsive be considered. Although often more widely accepted, especially urgent setting, strong consideration for given when available, due yield.