Background: Due to the severe mortality and disability resulting from status epilepticus, having sufficient information about the underlying and clinical characteristics of patients, diagnostic parameters such as laboratory and image findings as well as determining the prognostic factors of the disease is essential. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prognosis of pediatric patients with status epilepticus who were admitted to the pediatrics intensive care unit (PICU) of a great referral children hospital in Iran.
Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the records of 78 children admitted to the PICU of Ali Asghar Hospital in Tehran with a diagnosis of status epilepticus were reviewed. The study information was extracted from patients' records in hospital.
Results: The mean age of patients was 3.40±3.19 years with male to female ratio of 2:1. The most common etiologies for status epilepticus were febrile disease in 38.5% followed by CNS infections in 14.1% and metabolic disorders in 10.3%. CT scan was normal in 64.7% and normal MRI was reported in 40.7%. The average length of hospital stay in the NICU was 7.65±12.52 days. In total, 66.7% improved and discharged, 19.2% died, and 5.1% had speech and movement problems. Underlying infectious disease, thrombotic/hemorrhagic disease, lymphocytosis, hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, increase in CSF fluid protein and decrease in CSF fluid glucose were predictive factors for patient death.
Conclusion: In parallel with previous community-based reports in other countries, childhood status epilepticus is accompanied with considerable mortality and disabilities that can be prevented by controlling some modifiable factors.