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Hypothermia for pediatric refractory status epilepticus

Kristin Guilliams1, Max Rosen, Sandra Buttram

  • 1Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. guilliamsk@neuro.wustl.edu

Epilepsia
|August 3, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Mild hypothermia effectively reduced seizure burden in children with refractory status epilepticus (RSE). This treatment prevented seizure relapse in pediatric RSE patients, offering a promising therapeutic approach.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is a critical neurological emergency characterized by pharmacoresistance.
  • RSE poses a significant threat to pediatric patients, often requiring aggressive treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of mild hypothermia in treating pediatric refractory status epilepticus (RSE).
  • To assess the impact of hypothermia on seizure burden and relapse rates in children with RSE.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective chart review of five pediatric patients with RSE treated with mild hypothermia (32-35°C).
  • Data collected from two tertiary-care pediatric hospitals between 2009 and 2012.

Main Results:

  • Mild hypothermia reduced seizure burden during and after treatment in all five pediatric RSE cases.
  • Four out of five patients (80%) relapsed after pentobarbital treatment but did not relapse after hypothermia.
  • Four surviving children were discharged following hypothermia treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Mild hypothermia is effective in decreasing seizure burden in pediatric RSE.
  • Hypothermia may serve as a crucial intervention to prevent relapse in pediatric RSE cases.
  • This case series represents the largest pediatric study on mild hypothermia for RSE.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenCoolingPharmacoresistanceSeizures

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