Abstracts

RATIONALE:status epilepticus is a neurological and medical emergency. with a high rate of mortality and usually seen after stoping antiepileptic drugs. To find out if our findings were similar to the literature we did this study METHODS:We studied 19 adults patients, between June 1996 and Setember 1997, who presented at our adult emergency room as status epilepticus (se). RESULTS: The 19 patients represent 15% of all patients hospitalized during that period of time with epilepsy. 63 % of the patients were under age 30. The most frequent etiologies were:Central Nervous System infection:26.3%; unknown: 26.3%; stoping antiepileptic medication:10,7%; tumorsCNS:10.7%; metabolic causes:10.7%; sistemic infection:10.7%; CVA:5.4% 73% of the patients did well with first line drugs for status. Only 4 needed pentobarbital coma. The most frequent type was: parcial with secondary generalization. The most frequent complication was: respiratory infections CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of SE at the Hospital Universitario De Caracas between June 1996 and Setiembre 1997 was: 15.3% Age most frequently found:under 30 years The most frequent etiologies were CNS infections and unknown. Mortality rate:5.3%. Most of the patients did well (73%) with first time drugs. Most frequent type:parcial with secondary generalization:74%. Complications 47% 62% of the patients had normal neuroimagen.