Semin Neurol 2020; 40(06): 661-674
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1719076
Review Article

Status Epilepticus—Work-Up and Management in Children

Cristina Barcia Aguilar
1   Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
2   Department of Child Neurology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
Iván Sánchez Fernández
1   Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
3   Department of Child Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Spain
,
Tobias Loddenkemper
1   Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
› Author Affiliations
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Abstract

Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurological emergencies in children and has a mortality of 2 to 4%. Admissions for SE are very resource-consuming, especially in refractory and super-refractory SE. An increasing understanding of the pathophysiology of SE leaves room for improving SE treatment protocols, including medication choice and timing. Selecting the most efficacious medications and giving them in a timely manner may improve outcomes. Benzodiazepines are commonly used as first line and they can be used in the prehospital setting, where most SE episodes begin. The diagnostic work-up should start simultaneously to initial treatment, or as soon as possible, to detect potentially treatable causes of SE. Although most etiologies are recognized after the first evaluation, the detection of more unusual causes may become challenging in selected cases. SE is a life-threatening medical emergency in which prompt and efficacious treatment may improve outcomes. We provide a summary of existing evidence to guide clinical decisions regarding the work-up and treatment of SE in pediatric patients.



Publication History

Article published online:
05 November 2020

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