title: Newer antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of status epilepticus: impact on prognosis.
abstract: Newer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are increasingly prescribed and seem to have a comparable efficacy as the classical AEDs; however, their impact on status epilepticus (SE) prognosis has received little attention. In our prospective SE database (2006-2010), we assessed the use of older versus newer AEDs (levetiracetam, pregabalin, topiramate, lacosamide) over time and its relationship to outcome (return to clinical baseline conditions, new handicap, or death). Newer AEDs were used more often toward the end of the study period (42% of episodes versus 30%). After adjustment for SE etiology, SE severity score, and number of compounds needed to terminate SE, newer AEDs were independently related to a reduced likelihood of return to baseline (p<0.001) but not to increased mortality. These findings seem in line with recent findings on refractory epilepsy. Also, in view of the higher price of the newer AEDs, well-designed, prospective assessments analyzing the impact of newer AEDs on efficacy and tolerability in patients with SE appear mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital (CHUV) and Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Léonore
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jaques
authors.forename: Andrea O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rossetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants