Seizure

Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurologic emergencies [1–4] with a mortality that ranges from 0-3% in children to 20-30% in older adults [1,4–8]. SE requires timely treatment and close monitoring and support of cardiorespiratory function [9], which translates into a resource-intensive management in the hospital.

Epileptic seizures are a common reason for emergency room (ER) consultations. Several studies have indicated that approximately 45% of new-onset seizures (NOS) have no presumed cause, and 40% to 50% of these patients will ultimately receive a diagnosis of epilepsy [1]. It is controversial whether a single epileptic seizure with an underlying condition that increases the probability of recurrence should be considered epilepsy. According to the latest definition proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the diagnosis of epilepsy ...

The most common chronic, recurrent neurological disease of childhood is epilepsy [1]. The association of epilepsy with Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is widespread. Identified risk factors such as various arrhythmias, genetic risk factors like ion channel mutations, Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs), structural cardiac conditions can explain the coexistence of epilepsy and CVD [2]. Also, among living epilepsy patients, transient left ventricular (LV) dysfunction was the most common postictal cardiac abnormality [3].

Post ictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES) is defined as diffuse EEG background attenuation (<10 microvolt) in the postictal period. It is often occurred following generalized convulsive seizures (GCSs) with the reported rate of 16% to 90% according to different studies [1–8].

Transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) – spontaneous disruption of consciousness with complete recovery not due to head trauma [1] – has a lifetime prevalence of 50% [2] and accounts for 3% of all emergency department (ED) attendances in the United Kingdom (UK) [3]. Over 90% of presentations are due to epileptic seizures (ES), syncope, or psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) [4]. Accurately distinguishing between these is vital to allow appropriate management and identification of patients at risk of morbidity/mortality from different ...

Continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) monitoring is frequently utilized during the care of critically ill patients. In addition to being used consistently to provide evidentiary support of diagnoses made primarily from imaging techniques, EEG has also been utilized as a source for assessing the outcome of a patient. However, the relationship between these cEEG features and clinical outcome is not clear and may strongly depend on the underlying pathology. In comatose patients after cardiac arrest, EEG is the strongest predictor of poor ...

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common seizure observed in children. FS is characterized by episodes of convulsions that occur in association with fever in children aged between 3 months and 5 years in the absence of a central nervous system (CNS) infections or electrolyte imbalance [1–5]. FS is believed to be a benign seizure syndrome distinct from other neurologic disorders [4].

In the focal epilepsies clinical signs can provide useful information in determining the brain area involved during epileptic seizures, i.e. the symptomatic zone. Amongst various signs, ictal nausea and vomiting, which are found in about 1.9-10% of all patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) [1–3], have been linked to seizure onset in the non-dominant (i.e., mostly right) hemisphere, suggesting a functional asymmetry for gastrointestinal control [2,4–8]. Specifically, in a case series with 31 TLE patients, the authors reported a “strong ...

With the development of medical technology, transplantation has prevailed and become an important tool in the treatment of disease. According to the WHO’s statistics, as of 2015, approximately 120000 cases of solid organ transplantation have been performed globally. Renal transplantation is the most common, followed by liver transplantation, heart transplantation, lung transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, etc. [1]. And, in recipients of transplantation, seizures usually occur during the postoperative period [2,3].

Seizures account for up to 2% of all emergency department visits, and 24% of these patients have new-onset seizures [1]. The decision regarding the choice of treatment after a single seizure includes an evaluation of the probability of relapse and the efficacy and potential toxicity of the available antiepileptic drug (AED) options [2]. Several reports and guidelines have outlined the standard of care for patients with acute seizures, but they do not specifically recommend any particular AED, as the effectiveness ...