Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Epilepsy

Status epilepticus epidemiology—tracking a moving target

A surprisingly high rate of nonconvulsive seizures and status epilepticus is found during continuous EEG monitoring in critically ill patients. A recent analysis of data regarding hospitalization and mortality in patients with status epilepticus emphasizes the relevance not only of how status epilepticus is defined, but also of how it is detected.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Betjemann, J. P., Josephson, S. A., Lowenstein, D. H. & Burke, J. F. Trends in status epilepticus-related hospitalizations and mortality: redefined in us practice over time. JAMA Neurol. 72, 650–655 (2015).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Dham, B. S., Hunter, K. & Rincon, F. The epidemiology of status epilepticus in the United States. Neurocrit. Care 20, 476–483 (2014).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Silbergleit, R. et al. RAMPART (Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial): a double-blind randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of intramuscular midazolam versus intravenous lorazepam in the prehospital treatment of status epilepticus by paramedics. Epilepsia 52 (Suppl. 8), 45–47 (2011).

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Herman, S. T. et al. Consensus statement on continuous EEG in critically ill adults and children, part I: indications. J. Clin. Neurophysiol. 32, 87–95 (2015).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Gilmore, E. J. et al. Acute brain failure in severe sepsis: a prospective study in the medical intensive care unit utilizing continuous EEG monitoring. Intensive Care Med. 41, 686–694 (2015).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Kamel, H. et al. Diagnostic yield of electroencephalography in the medical and surgical intensive care unit. Neurocrit. Care 19, 336–341 (2013).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Brophy, G. M. et al. Guidelines for the evaluation and management of status epilepticus. Neurocrit. Care 17, 3–23 (2012).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Hirsch, L. J. et al. American Clinical Neurophysiology Society's standardized critical care EEG terminology: 2012 version. J. Clin. Neurophysiol. 30, 1–27 (2013).

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Hirsch, L. J. & Gaspard, N. Status epilepticus. Continuum (Minneap. Minn.) 19, 767–794 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Payne, E. T. et al. Seizure burden is independently associated with short term outcome in critically ill children. Brain 137, 1429–1438 (2014).

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lawrence J. Hirsch.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

L.J.H. receives royalties for Hirsch, L. J. & Brenner, R. P. (Eds) Atlas of EEG in Critical Care (Wiley, 2010). He also spends about 25% of his billable time implementing and interpreting continuous EEG monitoring. E.J.G. declares no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gilmore, E., Hirsch, L. Status epilepticus epidemiology—tracking a moving target. Nat Rev Neurol 11, 377–378 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.104

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2015.104

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing