Is there a need for further trials for the treatment of prolonged seizures?

Prolonged seizures are associated with morbidity and mortality of varying degrees. It is important to recognize seizures early, and treat them appropriately. This leads to the best clinical outcome. There has been an emphasis on prompt treatment, but there exists a variety of poorly executed protocols. This review addresses the question of whether additional clinical trials are necessary, not only to answer for what purpose, but also, clearly, to examine the impact additional studies may have. Overall, the acute treatment of epilepsy emergencies in children has markedly improved with availability of out-of-hospital therapies, but additional studies to determine the most efficacious, maximally safe, and best tolerated treatments are needed.