Original Article Clinical Presentation, Cause, and Short-Term Outcome of Children With Status Epilepticus in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A 5-Year Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Status epileptics(SE) has an increased incidence and poor out come in resourcelimited countries where infectious disease like malaria, meningitis are in higher rates and
where also health care system is limited. Researches in this setting are limited particularly in
pediatrics .We aimed to see the clinical presentation, causes and short-term outcome of children with SE.
Methodology: A 5-year cross- section study was conducted from January 2005 to January
2010. Children with age above 1 one month and age less than 13 years were included. Data
entered and analyzed with SPSS version 16.
Result: Eighty-nine patients were found during the study period. Generalized tonic-clonic seizure was the commonest type of seizure (74.8%). Only 28% arrive within 2 hours of presentation. There was a previous history of seizure disorder in 34(38.2%) of the cases. Temperature
greater than 38oc was documented for 40 (44.9%) patients at presentation. From the febrile
group at presentation 26/40(65%) had an acute central nerves system (CNS) infection who
were previously neurologically normal.
Patients with acute CNS infection had pyogenic meningitis in 18(69.2%), CNS Tuberculosis 5
(19%) and viral meningitis 3(11.5%) cases. None of the patients received intravenous antiepileptic drug except diazepam; 51 (57.3%) patients discharged improved with no squeal, 32
(36.0%) had a neurologic deficit (5 were having a neurologic abnormality at admission), there
were 6(6.7%) deaths. All deaths occur in acute symptomatic SE. HIV infection was found to be
statically associated with poor outcome p-value < 0.05.
Conclusion and recommendation: Most of the patients with SE arrived late to hospital and
mortality was found to be high in acute symptomatic SE. To improve patient care and outcome
there should be health education and improve the care of symptomatic SE like providing intravenous anticonvulsant