Electroencephalographic seizures in critically ill children: Management and adverse events
France W Fung1,2, Marin Jacobwitz1, Lisa Vala3
1Department of Pediatrics (Division of Neurology), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Insights
Continuous electroencephalographic monitoring in critically ill children identified electrographic seizures (ES) in 28%. Antiseizure medications (ASMs) were often effective, with rare adverse events in those needing fewer ASMs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
- Neurocritical Care
- Clinical Neurophysiology
Background:
- Continuous electroencephalographic (CEEG) monitoring is recommended for critically ill children with encephalopathy to detect electrographic seizures (ES).
- Limited data exist on the safety and efficacy of antiseizure medications (ASMs) for treating ES in this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of antiseizure medications (ASMs) for treating electrographic seizures (ES) in critically ill children undergoing continuous electroencephalographic (CEEG) monitoring.
- To determine the incidence, types, and risk factors for adverse events associated with ASM administration in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- A single-center prospective observational study enrolled 472 critically ill children undergoing CEEG.
- Clinical and EEG data were collected, along with ASM utilization patterns.
- Adverse events related to ASM administration were systematically evaluated.
Main Results:
- Electrographic seizures (ES) were identified in 28% of children (131/472).
- Antiseizure medications (ASMs) were administered to 82% of children with ES, with varying success rates.
- Adverse events occurred in 17% of patients, were generally serious, and were more common in children with epilepsy or complex EEG patterns.
Conclusions:
- While ASMs can manage ES in critically ill children, efficacy increases with multiple agents.
- Adverse events were rare and manageable in patients with acute symptomatic seizures requiring one to two ASMs.
- Optimization of multi-step ES management strategies and further research into neurobehavioral outcomes are warranted.
Objective:
Guidelines recommend that encephalopathic critically ill children undergo continuous electroencephalographic (CEEG) monitoring for electrographic seizure (ES) identification and management. However, limited data exist on antiseizure medication (ASM) safety for ES treatment in critically ill children.
Methods:
We performed a single-center prospective observational study of encephalopathic critically ill children undergoing CEEG. Clinical and EEG features and ASM utilization patterns were evaluated. We determined the incidence, types, and risk factors for adverse events associated with ASM administration.
Results:
A total of 472 consecutive critically ill children undergoing CEEG were enrolled. ES occurred in 131 children (28%). Clinicians administered ASM to 108 children with ES (82%). ES terminated after the initial ASM in 38% of patients who received one ASM, after the second ASM in 35% of patients who received two ASMs, after the third ASM in 50% of patients who received three ASMs, and after the fourth ASM in 53% of patients who received four ASMs. Thirty patients (28%) received anesthetic infusions for ES management. Adverse events occurred in 18 patients (17%). Adverse effects were expected and resolved in all patients, and they were generally serious (in 15 patients) and definitely related (in 12 patients). Adverse events were rare in patients with acute symptomatic seizures requiring only one to two ASMs for treatment, but were more common in children with epilepsy, ictal-interictal continuum EEG patterns, or patients requiring more extensive ASM management.
Significance:
ES ceased after one ASM in only 38% of critically ill children but ceased after two ASMs in 73% of critically ill children. Thus, ES management was often accomplished with readily available medications, but optimization of multistep ES management strategies might be beneficial. Adverse events were rare and manageable in children with acute symptomatic seizures requiring only one to two ASMs for treatment. Future studies are needed to determine whether management of acute symptomatic ES improves neurobehavioral outcomes.
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