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

Transient elevation of serum prolactin frequently follows generalised tonic-clonic and complex partial seizures. However, the levels of prolactin during status epilepticus are not increased above the normal range. Exhaustion of central prolactin supplies has been proposed as a possible mechanism for the absence of prolactin increase during status epilepticus. To test this hypothesis we injected intravenous metoclopramide (10 mg) in eight consecutive patients with status epilepticus. One patient had generalised tonic-clonic status epilepticus. Seven patients had EEG-verified non-convulsive status epilepticus, consisting of one typical absence status, one atypical absence status and five complex partial status epilepticus. Metoclopramide raised the mean (SD) prolactin levels at least five-fold in all patients, from 5.8 (8.0) micrograms/l to 87.0 (39.0) micrograms/l, within 60 minutes after the injection. Thus the mechanism for low prolactin values in status epilepticus is not cellular depletion of stored prolactin, but more likely an altered regulation, presumably induced by prolonged seizure activity.
 ...
PMID:Serum prolactin response to metoclopramide during status epilepticus. 152 38

The serum concentration of prolactin is frequently increased after single epileptic seizures and has therefore been used as a method to differentiate between hysterical attacks and epileptic seizures. We determined plasma prolactin concentrations in fifteen patients with status epilepticus. Seven patients had absence status, five complex partial and three generalised tonic-clonic status epilepticus. Prolactin levels were normal in all patients which indicates that, in contrast to single seizures, status epilepticus is not associated with an increase in serum prolactin.
 ...
PMID:Serum prolactin during status epilepticus. 261 44

Determination of serum prolactin can help distinguish between epileptic and pseudo-epileptic attacks since generalized tonic-clonic and complex partial seizures frequently are accompanied by a transient rise in prolactin. In status epilepticus, however, serum prolactin levels are well within the normal range: cellular depletion due to the prolonged seizure activity has been suggested as a mechanism for this finding. The control of prolactin secretion is complex. Among several possible regulators, inhibitory dopamine and stimulatory thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) may take part in the regulation of prolactin levels in connection with epileptic activity. There may be subpopulations of prolactin-producing cells that react differently in response to various regulators. A dopamine receptor blocker given during status epilepticus brings forth a distinct increase in prolactin levels. In order to add to the understanding of prolactin changes in connection with status epilepticus, we injected TRH i.v. during status epilepticus in seven consecutive patients. All patients had prolactin levels within the normal range (< 25 micrograms/l) before injection of TRH which resulted in at least a two-fold increase in prolactin levels. Our results contradict the hypothesis of cellular depletion of prolactin in connection with status epilepticus. The mechanism behind prolactin values within the normal range after prolonged seizure activity remains unknown.
 ...
PMID:Serum prolactin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone during status epilepticus. 816 88

We measured postictal prolactin (PRL) levels during repetitive seizures in 14 patients (10 men and 4 women) suffering from epilepsy with focal and/or secondarily generalized seizures. Between two and six seizures occurred per patient (mean 2.7). The interveral between seizures was 15 min and 8 h 40 min (mean 3 h 32 min). Five of the 14 patients showed a marked postictal PRL rise after each seizure (i.e. concentrations above 700 microU/ml for women, 500 microU/ml for men). In the remaining 9 patients there was no detectable rise in PRL. A decrease in PRL did not occur in any of the 14 patients. In those patients who had shown a marked PRL increase after the first seizure, the PRL continued to rise in subsequent seizures. Unlike previous investigations, these results show that repetitive epileptic seizures are not necessarily followed by a decrease in postictal PRL levels. A decrease in PRL response is known to occur if there is progression to status epilepticus.
 ...
PMID:Serum prolactin response to repetitive epileptic seizures. 819 24

Serum levels of prolactin may increase as a consequence of epileptic seizures. The hormone release is caused by the propagation of epileptic activity, usually from the temporal lobe to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Due to the intensity of the epileptic afterdischarge, a rise is seen in approximately 60% of complex partial seizures. Prolactin usually fails to rise after psychogenic seizures, therefore, postictal prolactin levels can be used to differentiate between epileptic and psychogenic seizures. However, a subclassification of epileptic seizures by means of prolactin measurement is not possible. In repetitive seizures, prolactin may show a decrease in its postictal release. This is more common in status epilepticus, probably as a result of a diminished propagation of ictal activity during the course of status epilepticus. The influence of chronic epileptic discharges and anticonvulsant medication on prolactin release is moderate.
 ...
PMID:Epilepsy and prolactin in adults: a clinical review. 880 Jun 30

Microinjection of kainic acid into the CA3 subfield of hippocampus in anesthetized rats elicited seizure-like hippocampal EEG activity that persisted for more than 180 minutes. There was a concomitant rise in plasma prolactin level that peaked at 15 to 20 minutes but endured less than 60 minutes. We conclude that plasma prolactin exhibited only transient elevations during experimental temporal lobe status epilepticus in rats.
 ...
PMID:Transient elevation in plasma prolactin level in rats with temporal lobe status epilepticus. 1048 64

The diagnosis and treatment of a first epileptic seizure are made by physicians with different types of expertise. Heterogeneous patterns of care are thus expected, which explain the need for shared patterns of care. These guidelines were developed by a group of experts from the Italian League against Epilepsy (LICE) in accordance with the requirements of evidence-based medicine. An accurate assessment of the seizure is required, with active questioning about circumstances of occurrence, clinical manifestations, and postictal symptoms. For seizures with loss of consciousness, the presence of cyanosis, hypersalivation, tongue biting, and postictal disorientation has a specific diagnostic value. Laboratory tests and toxicological screening should be performed only in the presence of circumstances suggesting a metabolic or toxic encephalopathy. Elevated prolactin levels 10-20 min. after the event help in differentiating generalized tonic-clonic or partial seizures from psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. Except for infants less than six months of age, CSF examination is recommended only when a cerebral infection is suspected. An EEG should be performed within 24 h. after a seizure, particularly in children. If the EEG is normal during wakefulness, a sleep EEG is recommended. A CT scan is strictly indicated when a severe structural lesion is suspected or when the etiology is unknown. MRI may not be indicated in the emergency room, but it should be preferred to CT as part of the diagnostic assessment. The added value of other diagnostic tools (neuropsychological tests, ambulatory EEG, functional MRI, SPECT, and PET) is as yet unknown. These tests may be used on a case-by-case basis. In the presence of an acute symptomatic seizure, treatment of the cause is recommended. Symptomatic therapy is not justified unless the seizure has the characteristics of status epilepticus. Long-term treatment may be considered in patients with abnormal EEG and imaging data and after consideration of the social, emotional, and personal implications of seizure relapse.
 ...
PMID:Diagnosis and treatment of the first epileptic seizure: guidelines of the Italian League against Epilepsy. 1723 98