According to a study from the United States, ' The California Encephalitis Project (CEP) is a program designed to determine causes of encephalitis. We sought to determine whether there are any distinguishing characteristics of patients with encephalitis who develop refractory status epilepticus from those who do not.'
' Data from all patients in the CEP were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Diagnostic testing was performed for a panel of infectious agents and medical information collected using a standardized form. Encephalitis patients were subdivided into three categories: (i) patients with status epilepticus unresponsive to standard antiepileptic therapy who required general anesthetic coma for management (Group I), (ii) patients with seizures or status epilepticus responsive to standard antiepileptic therapy (Group II), and (iii) patients without seizures (Group III). Supplementary information was requested on Group I patients. Of 1,151 patients; 43 (4%) were classified as Group I, 459 (40%) as Group II, and 649 (56%) as Group III. Compared to Groups II and III, Group I patients were younger (median age = 10.0 years), more likely to have fever (93%), prodromal respiratory (57%) or gastrointestinal illness (64%), and less likely to have CSF pleocytosis (47%) or abnormal neuroimaging (16%). A causative infectious agent was verified in three of the Group I patients; and a putative agent in nine others. Supplementary information on Group I revealed that 28% died within 2 years and 56% were neurologically impaired or undergoing rehabilitation,' wrote C.A. Glaser and colleagues (see also Encephalitis).
The researchers concluded: ' Encephalitis and refractory status epilepticus occur most commonly in the pediatric age group, an infectious etiology is usually not established, and outcomes are generally poor.'
Glaser and colleagues published their study in Neurocritical Care (Refractory status epilepticus in suspect encephalitis. Neurocritical Care, 2008;9(1):74-82).
For more information, contact C.A. Glaser, California Dept. of Public Health, Viral Rickettsial Diseases Branch, 850 Marina Bay Pkwy, Richmond, CA 94804, USA.
Publisher contact information for the journal Neurocritical Care is: Humana Press Inc., 999 Riverview Drive Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512, USA.
Keywords: United States, Richmond, Antiepileptic, Central Nervous System Disease, Coma, Critical Care, Diagnostics, Drugs, Encephalitis, Epilepsy, Pentobarbital, Pharmaceuticals, Seizures, Status Epilepticus, Therapy, Treatment.
This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com.
