Evaluation of Short-term Mortality of Status Epilepticus and Its Risk Factors

Status epilepticus (SE) is defined as epileptic seizures of greater than five minutes or more than one seizure within a five minute period without returning to normal consciousness between them. It is a life-threatening condition particularly if treatment is delayed. Previous studies reported age, duration and etiology of SE as primary determinants of mortality.

This prospective cross-sectional study performed on the patients with status epilepticus admitted in Rasoul-e-Akram hospital in Tehran. Patients followed at 30th day after SE to assess their living status.

Sixty-five patients, (56.9% was male) with 15 to 88 years of age entered the study. Mean duration of SE was 40 minutes and for hospital stay was 7 days. 84.6% of patients responded to treatment and 11 patients (16.9%) died within 30 days after SE. Mortality rate in patients with refractory SE was 70%. Mean interval between SE and death was 11.9 ± 11.7 days. Age, duration of SE and hospital stay, history of head trauma and neurosurgery were not predictors of mortality. Negative history for epilepsy had significantly higher mortality rate. Anoxic encephalopathy increased the mortality rate and response to treatment decreased it.

Short-term mortality rate of SE was comparable with most of the previous reports Since our hospital has equipped emergency department, resuscitation and primary treatment of SE is usually start soon, percentage of anoxic encephalopathy is decreased and lower mortality rate is expected. We conclude that early treatment by decrease chance of anoxic encephalopathy, has significant role in outcome of SE.