title: Frequency and prognosis of convulsive status epilepticus of different causes: a systematic review.
abstract: We conducted a systematic review of all studies of status epilepticus (SE) with more than 30 patients published between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2008, to determine the frequencies of the common underlying causes and the extent to which the underlying causes affect the prognosis of an episode of SE. The frequencies of underlying causes vary among studies and show marked geographic differences, but in most studies, the most common underlying causes were cerebrovascular disease and low antiepileptic drug levels. A relatively good prognosis of SE is found when the underlying cause is associated with low antiepileptic drug levels or alcohol abuse, and a relatively poor outcome occurs when the underlying cause is cerebrovascular disease, particularly in the case of SE due to acute cerebral anoxia, but in most conditions, the reported prognosis is variable. Also, when SE occurs in the context of an acute cerebral insult, such as cerebral infection or cerebrovascular disease, the prognosis of the acute cerebral event is worsened.
authors.affiliation: Box 5, Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Aidan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neligan
authors.forename: Simon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shorvon
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D020805:Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / Q000150:complications; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016239:MEDLINE / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology