Abstract

Seizures in 204 comatose children: incidence and outcome

Kirkham FJ, Wade AM, McElduff F, Boyd SG, Tasker RC, Edwards M, Neville BG, Peshu N, Newton CR
Intensive Care Med. 2012;38

Permenent descriptor

PURPOSE: Seizures are common in comatose children, but may be clinically subtle or only manifest on continuous electroencephalographic monitoring (cEEG); any association with outcome remains uncertain. METHODS: cEEG (one to three channels) was performed for a median 42 h (range 2-630 h) in 204 unventilated and ventilated children aged 3% fast, aOR 5.43, 95% CI 1.90-15.6; excess slow with <3% fast, aOR 8.71, 95% CI 2.58-29.4; low amplitude, 10th centile <9 microV, aOR 3.78, 95% CI 1.23-11.7; and burst suppression, aOR 10.68, 95% CI 2.31-49.4) compared with normal cEEG, as well as absence of CS at any time (aOR 2.38, 95% CI 1.18-4.81). Unfavourable outcome (29/111 survivors; 26%) was independently predicted by the presence of ES (aOR 15.4, 95% CI 4.7-49.7) and PIM (aOR 1.036, 95% CI 1.013-1.059). CONCLUSION: Seizures are common in comatose children, and are associated with an unfavourable outcome in survivors. cEEG allows the detection of subtle CS and NCS and is a prognostic tool.