title: Clinical trials in acute repetitive seizures and status epilepticus.
abstract: This paper reviews the clinical trials in acute repetitive seizures and in tonic-clonic status epilepticus. There are good randomised controlled studies on the use of benzodiazepines in early status epilepticus, but an inadequate trial base in the later stages. Therapy has therefore to be based on open studies, although in the later stages there is also a dearth of open data. Tonic-clonic status epilepticus is a medical emergency and a condition with a significant mortality. The lack of information compromises optimal therapy. This paper reviews the reasons for the lack of data and the problems associated with collecting data. It is proposed that, in the first instance, the best way of improving the quality of evidence would be a multinational case registry of existing practice.
authors.affiliation: UCL Institute of Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK. s.shorvon@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shorvon
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants