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Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Husain, AM; Horn, GJ; Jacobson, MP
Published in: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
February 2003

BACKGROUND: Non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is status epilepticus without obvious tonic-clonic activity. Patients with NCSE have altered mental state. An EEG is needed to confirm the diagnosis, but obtaining an EEG on every patient with altered mental state is not practical. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether clinical features could be used to predict which patients were more likely to be in NCSE and thus in need of an urgent EEG. METHODS: Over a six month period, all patients for whom an urgent EEG was ordered to identify NCSE were enrolled. Neurology residents examined the patients and filled out a questionnaire without knowledge of the EEG results. The patients were divided into two groups, NCSE and non-NCSE, depending on the EEG result. The clinical features were compared between the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity of the features were calculated. RESULTS: 48 patients were enrolled, 12 in NCSE and 36 not in NCSE. Remote risk factors for seizures, severely impaired mental state, and ocular movement abnormalities were seen significantly more often in the NCSE group. The combined sensitivity of remote risk factors for seizures and ocular movement abnormalities was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: There are certain clinical features that are more likely to be present in patients in NCSE compared with other types of encephalopathy. Either remote risk factors for seizures or ocular movement abnormalities were seen in all patients in NCSE. These features may be used to select which patients should have an urgent EEG.

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Published In

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

0022-3050

Publication Date

February 2003

Volume

74

Issue

2

Start / End Page

189 / 191

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Status Epilepticus
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Patient Selection
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Glasgow Coma Scale
  • Female
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Husain, A. M., Horn, G. J., & Jacobson, M. P. (2003). Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 74(2), 189–191. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.2.189
Husain, A. M., G. J. Horn, and M. P. Jacobson. “Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG.J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 74, no. 2 (February 2003): 189–91. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.2.189.
Husain AM, Horn GJ, Jacobson MP. Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003 Feb;74(2):189–91.
Husain, A. M., et al. “Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG.J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, vol. 74, no. 2, Feb. 2003, pp. 189–91. Pubmed, doi:10.1136/jnnp.74.2.189.
Husain AM, Horn GJ, Jacobson MP. Non-convulsive status epilepticus: usefulness of clinical features in selecting patients for urgent EEG. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003 Feb;74(2):189–191.

Published In

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

0022-3050

Publication Date

February 2003

Volume

74

Issue

2

Start / End Page

189 / 191

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Status Epilepticus
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Patient Selection
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Glasgow Coma Scale
  • Female