Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0038220 (status epilepticus)
 7,272 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A first seizure out of a clear blue sky can be a major life-changing event. Careful history-taking and appropriate investigation together with a clear explanation provided to patient and family are an essential requirement. Although for most patients, pharmacotherapy can be withheld and events awaited, there are circumstances where introduction of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy should be considered. Medical causes of seizures should also be sought and treated. In addition, a first seizure in HIV-positive patients and in those with underlying neurocysticercosis should usually provoke the introduction of AED therapy. Particular problems can occur in patients with a single episode of provoked status epilepticus, a first tonic-clonic seizure during pregnancy and, particularly, an unprovoked event in older and learning disabled people. Treatment following a first seizure should balance risk factors for recurrence with the informed opinion of the patients and their family.
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PMID:Management of a first seizure. Special problems: adults and elderly. 1818 55

We present the case of an HIV-infected patient with cirrhosis in whom severe neuropsychiatric signs and symptoms developed in the setting of a significantly elevated plasma efavirenz level. Although mild neuropsychiatric symptoms are a well-known adverse effect of this medication, to our knowledge, this is the first report of status epilepticus with routine efavirenz dosing. This case raises several significant questions regarding the adverse effects and dosing of this medication, including which patient characteristics predispose to efavirenz toxicity, the relevance of the CYP2B6 mutation, and indications for therapeutic drug monitoring.
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PMID:Status epilepticus resulting from severe efavirenz toxicity in an HIV-infected patient. 1865 16

Thirty-seven HIV-positive patients with new-onset seizures (NOS) were prospectively identified during a 1-year study period. The patients were categorized according to the different mechanisms causing NOS in HIV, namely focal brain lesion (FBL) in 21 patients (57%), meningitis in 6 patients (16%), metabolic derangement (no patient), and no identified cause (NIC) other than HIV itself (10 patients, 27%). Seizure semiology, CD4 counts, and blood and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) viral loads were studied to identify any special characteristics of the different categories. With respect to seizure semiology, all NIC patients had generalized seizures. Two-thirds of the meningitis patients had generalized seizures with one-third having focal seizures. Half of the patients with FBL had generalized seizures and one-third had focal seizures. Status epilepticus was strongly associated with FBL. No significant difference could be detected between the subgroups with respect to CD4 counts and serum and CSF viral loads. The median CD4 count in all patients was 108 cells/ml, indicating advanced immunosuppression. In the FBL group this was 104 cells/ml. In the meningitis group the median CD4 count was 298 cells/ml, and in the NIC group this was 213 cells/ml. Similarly, no differences were noted in the NOS categories with respect to serum and CSF viral loads. Seizures in HIV are a nonspecific manifestation of the seizure mechanism.
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PMID:New onset seizures in HIV--seizure semiology, CD4 counts, and viral loads. 1937 59

Diligence in the interpretation of results is essential as information gained from the psychiatric patient's history might often be restricted. Nonobservance of established guidelines may lead to a wrong diagnosis, induce a false therapy and result in life-threatening situations. Communication errors between hospitals and doctors and uncritical acceptance of prior diagnoses add substantially to this problem. We present a patient with alcohol-related dementia who received anti-retroviral therapy that promoted a non-convulsive status epilepticus. HIV serodeconversion was considered after our laboratory result yielded a HIV-negative status. Critical review of previous diagnostic investigations revealed several errors in the diagnosis of HIV infection leading to a "pseudo-serodeconversion." Finally, anti-retroviral therapy could be discontinued.
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PMID:Anti-retroviral therapy-induced status epilepticus in "pseudo-HIV serodeconversion". 2085 Dec 80

Palliative sedation is defined as the use of sedative drugs in order to reduce the patient's consciousness in case of refractory symptoms. The most used drug is midazolam, a benzodiazepine with a short half-life administered either intravenously or subcutaneously. We discuss on a clinical case requiring an exceptionally high dosage of midazolam-up to 160 mg iv daily-to achieve palliative sedation. The patient was an HIV positive 29-year-old male who was suffering from progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy complicated by a refractory status epilepticus and who was suspected of previous benzodiazepines and opioid abuse. In such situations of a suffering brain doses of midazolam to achieve symptom control may be much higher than expected.
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PMID:Palliative sedation for status epilepticus in a patient with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. 2533 4

In HIV-positive individuals with first seizure, we describe neuroimaging findings, detail clinical and demographic risk factors for imaging abnormalities, and evaluate the relationship between imaging abnormalities and seizure recurrence to determine if imaging abnormalities predict recurrent seizures. Among 43 participants (mean 37.4 years, 56% were male), 16 (37%) were on antiretroviral drugs, 32 (79%) had advanced HIV disease, and (28) 66% had multiple seizures and/or status epilepticus at enrollment. Among those with cerebrospinal fluid studies, 14/31 (44%) had opportunistic infections (OIs). During follow-up, 9 (21%) died and 15 (35%) experienced recurrent seizures. Edema was associated with OIs (odds ratio: 8.79; confidence interval: 1.03-236) and subcortical atrophy with poorer scores on the International HIV Dementia Scale) (5.2 vs. 9.3; P=0.002). Imaging abnormalities were not associated with seizure recurrence or death (P>0.05). Seizure recurrence occurred in at least a third and over 20% died during follow-up. Imaging was not predictive of recurrent seizure or death, but imaging abnormalities may offer additional diagnostic insights in terms of OI risk and cognitive impairment.
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PMID:Neuroimaging abnormalities and seizure recurrence in a prospective cohort study of zambians with human immunodeficiency virus and first seizure. 2556 38

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have a higher burden of seizures, but few studies have examined seizures in HIV-infected individuals in Korea. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of seizures in patients with HIV infection. Among a total of 1,141 patients, 34 (3%) had seizures or epilepsy; 4 of these individuals had epilepsy before HIV infection, and the others showed new-onset seizures. Most patients exhibited moderate (200 to 500, n = 13) or low (below 200, n = 16) CD4 counts. The most common seizure etiology was progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (n = 14), followed by other HIV-associated central nervous system (CNS) complications (n = 6). Imaging studies revealed brain lesions in 21 patients. A total of 9 patients experienced only one seizure during the follow-up period, and 25 patients experienced multiple seizures or status epilepticus (n = 2). Multiple seizures were more common in patients with brain etiologies (P = 0.019) or epileptiform discharges on EEG (P = 0.032). Most seizures were controlled without anticonvulsants (n = 12) or with a single anticonvulsant (n = 12). Among patients with HIV infection, seizures are significantly more prevalent than in the general population. Most seizures, with the exception of status epilepticus, have a benign clinical course and few complications.
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PMID:Clinical features of seizures in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection. 2602 19

Approximately 50 million people live with epilepsy worldwide. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the current evidence and management recommendations for evaluation and treatment of patients with epilepsy. Systematic literature reviews were undertaken. A review of contemporary published evidence-based guidelines (American Academy of Neurology, American Epilepsy Society, and the Indian Epilepsy Society) and published peer reviewed scientific publications was done. The guideline is addressed to all clinicians who manage epilepsy patients. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for the evaluation and treatment of the first seizure, use of antiepileptic medications, treatment of status epilepticus, use of epilepsy surgery, and the management of epilepsy in specific populations as well as in unique clinical situations such as neurocysticercosis infestation, brain tumor and human immunodeficiency virus infection. It also addresses the special considerations in women with epilepsy.
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PMID:Evidence-based guidelines for the management of epilepsy. 2828 90


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