title: Emergency EEG and factors associated with nonconvulsive status epilepticus.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with nonconvulsive status epileptics (NCSE) and optimize efficient use of emergency electroencephalography (EEG) services. A retrospective review of medical records identified features associated with NCSE over a 1-year period. Seventy-eight EEGs were identified and divided into four groups. Group I, normal EEG; group II, EEG slowing; group III, epileptiform discharges; and group IV, NCSE. Three risk factors were associated with EEG-confirmed NCSE. These three risk factors are: history of epilepsy, witnessed seizure around the time of presentation, and seizure-like motor activity (SLMA). At least one of these three risk factors was identified in 35 patients, and all of the patients with NCSE were within this group. Forty-three patients had absence of these factors, and none of these patients were found to have NCSE, giving these factors a negative predictive value of 100%. Our study suggests that these three factors are highly associated with NCSE. A prospective study should be done to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Yerremsetty
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lindstrom
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: McGill
mesh_terms: D004569:Electroencephalography; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis*