title: Status epilepticus: Our experience in a tertiary care centre in Northwestern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Status epilepticus (SE) is a medical emergency. Aim of this study was to examine the etiology and outcome of adult patients in status epilepticus presenting to our center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted from January 2009 to December 2010. Newly diagnosed patients as well as known case of seizure disorder presenting with status epilepticus were included. Detailed history, clinical examination, baseline investigation, neuroimaging electroencephalogram findings were recorded. Patients were treated using a standard protocol and were followed-up for 2 weeks after discharge. Quantification of precipitating factors was done using proportion, mean and standard deviation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  80 consecutive patients were studied. Mean age was 38.43 ± 16.56 years (range 13 to 78 years). Male to female ratio was 4:1. 57.5% were known cases of seizure disorders. Generalized tonic-clonic seizure was commonest presentation in 91.30%. Majority (97.5%) had convulsive SE. Poor drug compliance was found to be the commonest precipitant (50% patients), followed by central nervous system infection (20% patients. Alcohol intake contributed in 12.5% cases, whereas, precipitating factor couldn't be traced in 7.5% patients'. In 55% patients, SE was controlled with no recurrence or complication and in 25% there was recurrence after control of SE. 15% patients ended up with persistent sequel (cognitive and psychosomatic dysfunction, neurological deficit etc.) lasting for 2 weeks or more. The mortality was 5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor compliance with drugs (in established cases of seizure disorders) and central nervous systems infections/structural lesions (in new onset cases) were commonest causes of SE in our study group. Conventional first line antiepileptics were able to control seizures in only 55% patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhalla
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Biplab
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Rimi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Som
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Parampreet S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kharbanda
keywords: Antiepileptics; emergency presentation; neurological emergency; seizures; status epilepticus