Status epilepticus after stroke

objective of our study was to determine the risk and predictive factors of status epilepticus (SE) after stroke.

From 1988 to 2000, 1174 patients were admitted to the Department of Neurology at the Karadeniz Technical University Farabi Hospital with first-time strokes. Of these, 180 patients had poststroke first-time seizures (PFSs). We followed these 180 PFS patients for an average of 3.7 years or until death to determine the occurrence rate of SE. By comparing these data with those of PFS patients without SE, we investigated whether there were significant differences.

A total of 17 of the 180 PFS patients (9%) had SE. There was no relationship between the occurrence of SE and stroke risk factors, stroke type (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke), stroke topography and cause, cortical involvement, size of lesion, seizure type, or electroencephalographic findings. SE occurred more frequently among patients with a higher disability rating (Rankin scale >3; odds ratio, 4.36). Recurrent SE was identified in 5 of 17 patients with SE. In all 5 of these patients, the first episode of SE occurred within the first 7 days after stroke (early-onset SE). Statistical analysis demonstrated that early-onset SE was associated with a higher risk for SE recurrence (P=0.003) and a higher mortality rate (P=0.04).

SE was not associated with a higher mortality rate but with higher functional disability. We also found that early-onset SE (within the first 7 days after stroke) was associated with a higher risk for SE recurrence and a higher mortality rate than late-onset SE (after 7 days after stroke).