title: RAMPART (Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial): a double-blind randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of intramuscular midazolam versus intravenous lorazepam in the prehospital treatment of status epilepticus by paramedics.
abstract: Early treatment of prolonged seizures with benzodiazepines given intravenously by paramedics in the prehospital setting has been shown to be associated with improved outcomes. However, an increasing number of Emergency Medical System (EMS) protocols use an intramuscular (IM) route because it is faster and consistently achievable. RAMPART (Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to Arrival Trial) is a double-blind randomized clinical trial to determine if the efficacy of IM midazolam is noninferior by a margin of 10% to that of intravenous (IV) lorazepam in patients treated by paramedics for status epilepticus (SE). Children and adults with >5 min of convulsions who are still seizing after paramedic arrival are administered study medication by IM autoinjector or IV infusion. The primary efficacy outcome is absence of seizures at emergency department (ED) arrival, without EMS rescue therapy. Safety outcomes include acute endotracheal intubation and recurrent seizures. Secondary outcomes include timing of treatment and initial seizure cessation. At the time of writing this communication, enrollment of all subjects is near completion and the study data will soon be analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silbergleit
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lowenstein
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Durkalski
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conwit
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000379:methods; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular / Q000379:methods; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D008140:Lorazepam; D008874:Midazolam