Cefepime-induced encephalopathy: socio-clinical patterns and electroencephalographic findings

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cefepime is a crucial antibiotic for severe hospital infections.
• Cefepime use is associated with a risk of encephalopathy.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to detect neurological changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the socioclinical characteristics of cefepime-induced encephalopathy.
• To investigate the correlation between cefepime encephalopathy and EEG findings.
• To assess the impact of cefepime withdrawal on patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 41 patient records with cefepime-induced encephalopathy.
• Evaluation of socioclinical parameters using Naranjo criteria.
• Analysis of EEG tracings for characteristic patterns.

Main Results:

• All EEGs showed generalized periodic discharges (GPD).
• 70.7% of patients met criteria for nonconvulsive status epilepticus.
• 85.3% of patients improved clinically after cefepime withdrawal.

Conclusions:

• Cefepime-induced encephalopathy presents with diverse clinical manifestations.
• EEG is essential for diagnosing cefepime encephalopathy.
• Prompt discontinuation of cefepime is critical for patient recovery.