[Absence status epilepticus in adults]

Absence status epilepticus (ASE) is a type of nonconvulsive status epilepticus, in which varying grade of consciousness impairment lasting more than 15 minutes and are accompanied by constant generalized spike-wave complexes with a frequency of 2.5-4 Hz on the electroencephalogram (EEG). ASE can be observed in various epileptic syndromes, usually detected in children. In some cases, ASE manifests in adulthood as a late complication of idiopathic generalized epilepsy or status for the first time (de novo), without history of epilepsy. A review of reported cases of ASE manifestation in adulthood is presented and two of our own clinical observations of ASE that occurred in adult patients who did not have a previously established diagnosis of epilepsy are discussed. Quite clear clinical and EEG syndromic delineation of ASE in adults and the elderly, high effectivenefe of therapy and good outcome of the disease allow distinguishing recurrent ASE as a separate epileptic syndrome, in contrast to nonconvulsive status epilepticus in other neurological diseases.