Estimating Mortality Accurately in Generalized Convulsive Status Epilepticus

This large retrospective study suggests that GCSE mortality is low, but methodological issues limit its generalizability.

Recent observational studies of generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) have reported case fatality rates of 3% to 39%, a range that likely reflects differences among the often small populations studied. To learn more about mortality in GCSE, researchers examined the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a large retrospective database of discharge records, randomly selected from about 75% of U.S. hospitals. The authors used principal discharge coding to identify 11,580 patients (mean age, 39 years) admitted for GCSE from 2000 through 2004, and considered demographic variables and secondary diagnoses as potential predictors of outcome. Endotracheal intubation was a surrogate marker for respiratory failure.

In-hospital mortality was 3.45%. Mul…

Reviewing Author

Andrea O. Rossetti, MD