title: Emergent EEG: indications and diagnostic yield.
abstract: The authors reviewed the reports of all emergent EEG (EmEEG) performed in our hospital within 1 hour of the test being ordered over a period of 52 months. Two hundred sixty-one EmEEG (12.8% of all EEG) were performed. The most common reason to order the test was a change in mental status or coma (17.6%). Although EmEEG was ordered to rule out status epilepticus (SE) in 60.2% of cases, this diagnosis was made in only 10.7% of patients. The only independent predictor for SE was a history of cardiac or respiratory arrest (odds [95% CI], 6.8 [2.7 to 16.9]).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA. pvarelas@mcw.edu
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Varelas
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Spanaki
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hacein-Bey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hether
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Terranova
mesh_terms: D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis