Article

New-Onset Status Epilepticus

Assessing causes and outcomes


 

References

Autoimmune encephalitis is the most commonly identified cause of new-onset refractory status epilepticus, but half remain cryptogenic, according to a study of 130 patients with refractory status status epilepticus. Researchers found:

• 52% of cases remained cryptogenic.

• Most commonly identified etiologies were autoimmune (19%) and paraneoplastic (18%) encephalitis.

• Poor outcomes occurred in 62% of patients and 22% died.

• Predictors of poor outcome included duration of status epilepticus, use of anesthetics, and medical complications.

• Among patients with available follow-up data, functional status improved in 57% and 79% had good or fair outcome at last follow-up; however, epilepsy developed in 37% with most survivors (92%) remaining on antiseizure medications.

• Immune therapies were used less frequently in cryptogenic, despite a comparable prevalence of inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid changes.

Citation: Gaspard N, Foreman BP, Alvarez V, et al. New-onset refractory status epilepticus. Published online ahead of print August 21, 2015]. Neurology. doi: http:/​/​dx.​doi.​org/​10.​1212/​WNL.​0000000000001940.

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