Status epilepticus in our patients, a 15 years follow-up study

Abstract

Introduction: Status epilepticus (SE) is the second most frequent neurological emergency. The purpose of this study was to analyse clinical presentation, causes and outcome of SE. Aim of the Study: The aim was to establish clinical characteristics, etiology and the outcome of status epilepticus as well as sex and age distribution in patients hospitalized at the Clinic of Neurology UCC RS in a 15-year follow-up. Patients and Methods: In this prospective 15-year study, all patients with SE admitted to the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska, Clinic of Neurology, were treated in the period of 15 years (2003-2017). Demographic and clinical data were collected. Results: In the aforesaid period, 124 patients with SE were treated, and there were 71 man (57%) with mean age of 59 years and 54 woman (43%), with mean age of 52.5 years. Primarily generalized tonic-clonic SE was identified in 70 (56%) and 44 (35.2%) patients, retrospectively. Simple partial SE occurred in 10 (8%) patients. 62% of the patients had previously had epilepsy while 38% had not. The main underlying causes were noncompliance to treatment in the first group (n=56; 72%) and cerebrovascular disease (n=36; 75%) in the second group. Overall mortality rate was 11.2% , which correlated with acute symptomatic etiology and patients of older age (mean: 73 years). Conclusion: Epileptic patients are at greater risk to develop SE. However, in patients with no prior history of epilepsy and acute neurological problems SE may also occur. Cerebrovascular disease was the most common cause of SE in those with the initial seizure. Noncompliance to treatment was the major cause in patients with preexisting epilepsy.

Keywords

• epilepsy
• status
• etiology
• clinical presentation
• outcome