title: Epileptic prodromes: are they nonconvulsive status epilepticus?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess how frequently prodromes occur in an adult patient group from a tertiary referral epilepsy centre and to investigate the EEG changes during the prodromes.
  
  
  METHODS
  578 consecutive patients were interviewed on subjective phenomena, experiences heralding the seizures, for at least 30min before the start of the seizure. EEGs were recorded during the prodromes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten out of 490 included patients had prodromes (2%). We were able to record EEG during prodromes in 6 patients. Three patients had EEG changes corresponding to nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Three patients had unrevealing EEG recordings during prodromes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that at least in a part of the patients, the prodromes are actually ictal phenomena, and should be treated as nonconvulsive status epilepticus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Danish Epilepsy Centre, Dianalund, Denmark. jag@filadelfia.dk
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alving
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beniczky
mesh_terms: D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
keywords: EEG; Epilepsy prodrome; Nonconvulsive status epilepticus