Focal nonconvulsive status epilepticus in children: clinical and electroencephalographic features in 38 patients

The aim of this study was to characterize clinically, etiologically, and electroencephalographically focal Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus (NCSE) in children. Moreover, we tried to identify focal NCSE features distinguishing between different ages, NCSE etiologies, and cases of de novo onset.

We retrospectively identified patients (aged 1 month to 18 years) who had EEG-documented focal NCSE between January 2001 and December 2019. We analyzed the clinical features, etiology, and EEG features of each event.

Thirty-eight patients were included in this study. NCSE had a de novo onset in 26 patients and was the first manifestation of previously undiagnosed epilepsy in 12 patients. NCSE etiology was acute symptomatic in 13 patients. Acute symptomatic NCSE events were mainly observed in hospitalized children, were usually longer, and had a significantly higher frequency of repetitive EEG patterns than other etiologies. In patients with epilepsy, the etiology of NCSE was remote symptomatic in 14, progressive in 6, and cryptogenic in 5; a definite or suspected genetic disorder was observed in 11. EEG localization was frequent in posterior regions (18 children). Eleven patients had refractory NCSE and 4 required admission to the intensive care unit.

Focal NCSE in children is more frequent in the first years of life, mainly involves posterior regions, and often has de novo onset. In the case of de novo focal NCSE both acute symptomatic NCSE and new-onset epilepsy must be considered and investigated. A higher frequency of repetitive EEG patterns and an inpatient setting are significantly associated with acute symptomatic NCSE.