US Pharm. 2018;43(1):17.
According to a recent study, prolonged convulsive seizures during childhood may be connected to the onset of other brain conditions. Persisting effects are more prominent in children with other neurological issues that existed prior to their seizures, the researchers say.
The study, published in the journal The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, offers insight into the long-term health impact of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE)—a seizure or series of seizures lasting for at least a half hour. Researchers based at the University of Edinburgh and University College London tracked the health status of more than 100 children for 9 years following CSE.
Children with existing neurological or developmental issues at the onset of CSE were more prone to exhibit neurological problems at follow up, researchers say. Conversely, children without an existing neurological or developmental issue tended to have more positive outcomes.
Richard Chin, Director of the University of Edinburgh’s Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, who led the study, said, “Our study indicates that children with pre-existing neurological conditions are far more likely to experience chronic neurological and cognitive problems following convulsive status epilepticus. This is a very important finding for planning long-term treatment for children whose brains may be more vulnerable to the effects of a prolonged seizure.”To comment on this article, contact rdavidson@uspharmacist.com.
