Nonconvulsive status epilepticus in palliative care patients

Ketamine for Super-Refractory Status Epilepticus in Palliative Care. A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We report a case of super refractory status epilepticus uncontrolled by multiple anti-seizure medications in an individual with acute liver failure due to hepatic cirrhosis and an obstructive ileocecal mass plus multiple bilateral lung lesions presumed to be metastatic. A ketamine infusion was initiated late in his hospitalization which eliminated the convulsive seizures in less than an hour. The abatement of convulsive seizures allowed his grieving wife to return to her husband's bedside to witness the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment and be present during the final 24 hours of his life. We review the medical literature on the role of Intravenous (IV) Ketamine in the treatment of super refractory status epilepticus.

EEG-Update

Durch die rasante Entwicklung digitaler Computertechniken und neuer Analysemethoden hat sich ein neuer Ansatz zur Analyse der Hirnströme (quantitatives EEG) ergeben, die in verschiedenen klinischen Bereichen der Neurologie und Psychiatrie bereits Ergebnisse zeigen. Die neuen Möglichkeiten der Analyse des EEG durch Einsatz künstlicher Intelligenz (Deep Learning) und großer Datenmengen (Big Data) sowie telemedizinischer Datenübermittlung und Interaktion wird den Einsatz der Methode vermutlich in den nächsten Jahren erweitern.

Inpatient Management of Encephalopathy

Unexplained encephalopathy is a common occurrence in tertiary care centers and neurologic disorders should be considered after ruling out the infectious, toxic and metabolic etiologies. Neuroimaging combined with a thorough history and examination is often helpful in ruling out stroke and fulminant demyelinating encephalopathies. Autoimmune encephalopathy should be suspected in any patient with unexplained acute or subacute onset encephalopathy or rapidly progressing dementia. Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA-R) encephalitis is the most studied form and Hashimoto encephalitis is the most controversial form of autoimmune encephalopathies. Obtaining a combined serum and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) autoantibody testing will increase the diagnostic yield of autoimmune and paraneoplastic encephalitis. When diagnosing NMDA receptor antibodies CSF is always more sensitive than serum and in contrast, voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) complex antibodies are more readily detectable in serum than in CSF. Neural-specific antibody tests frequently result after several weeks and treatment should be administered without a significant delay to prevent brain damage. Autoimmune encephalitis is often treatment responsive when immunotherapy (glucocorticoids, intravenous immune globulin, plasma exchange) is used in various combinations. The absence of inflammatory markers and autoantibodies in the serum or CSF may not rule out the possibility of paraneoplastic encephalopathies.

Outcomes of status epilepticus and their predictors in the elderly-A systematic review

Status epilepticus (SE) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Although SE is frequently seen in elderly patients, there is a lack of a cohesive report of outcome measures and associated factors within this population. Our aim was to systematically review studies reporting outcomes of SE among elderly patients and factors influencing these outcomes. A literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, and Cochrane Library from database conception to April 22, 2018. A total of 85 studies were included in this systematic review. The included studies show that mortality is higher in elderly patients than in adult patients. Lesional etiologies, higher number of comorbidities, NCSE, RSE, longer hospital and intensive care unit stays, and infection during hospitalization are associated with poor outcome. Future studies should consider measuring functional outcomes, comparative studies between elderly and adults and AED clinical trials specific for elderly with SE.

StatNet Electroencephalogram: A Fast and Reliable Option to Diagnose Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in Emergency Setting

BACKGROUND

The StatNet electrode set is a system that can be applied by a non-electroencephalogram (EEG) technologist after minimal training. The primary objectives of this study are to assess the quality and reliability of the StatNet recordings in comparison to the conventional EEG.

METHODS

Over 10 months, 19 patients with suspected nonconvulsive status epilepticus were included from university hospital emergency settings. Each patient received a StatNet EEG by a trained epilepsy fellow and a conventional EEG by registered technologists. We compared the studies in a blinded fashion, for the timeframe from EEG order to the setup time, start of acquisition, amount of artifact, and detection of abnormalities. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney two-sample t test was used for comparisons. The kappa score was used to assess reliability.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 61±16.3 (25-93) years. The inter-observer agreement for detection of abnormal findings was 0.83 for StatNet and 0.75 for conventional EEG. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus was detected in 10% (2/19) in both studies. The delay from the time of EEG requisition to acquisition was shorter in the StatNet (22.4±2.5 minutes) than the conventional EEG (217.7±44.6 minutes; p<0.0001). The setup time was also shorter in the StatNet (9.9±0.8 minutes) compared with the conventional EEG (17.8±0.8 minutes; p<0.0001). There was no difference in the percentage of artifact duration between the two studies (p=0.89).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that StatNet EEG is a practical and reliable tool in the emergency setting, which reduces the delay of testing compared with conventional EEG, without significant compromise of study quality.

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus in a palliative care unit: when delirium is a seizure

The search for an underlying cause of altered mental status not uncommonly becomes more challenging in the hospice and palliative care setting. Due to multiple coexisting conditions that affect mental status and shifting goals of care, discerning that single cause in this venue can become frustrating and even nonbeneficial at times. We present a case of nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), which multiple reports have shown to be a rarely contemplated cause of impaired consciousness. A concise review of NCSE follows, with emphasis on conditions that present similarly, precipitating factors, diagnostic and therapeutic considerations, and prognostic implications. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus is a reversible cause of altered consciousness, particularly when recognized promptly. In a palliative care unit, treatment should ultimately be guided by the patient's goals of care.

[Non-convulsive status epilepticus: temporary fad or reality in need of treatment?]

The term non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) refers to a heterogeneous group of diseases with different etiology, prognosis and treatment. The different forms of NCSE comprise about 25-50% of all status epilepticus cases. The most frequent form encountered in clinical practice is complex-partial SE but the rarer conditions of absence status, aura status and subtle SE are also included under this category. A diagnosis of NCSE should be considered in all patients with otherwise unexplained changes in consciousness or behavior and this diagnosis demands rapid further diagnostic work up including clinical examination, a detailed clinical history from the patient or an accompanying person, cranial computed tomography (CCT) and an electroencephalogram (EEG). If signs of an infectious or inflammatory disorder are present, a spinal tap is indicated. The EEG is of high relevance although interpretation can be challenging in NCSE.Absence status is usually treated by benzodiazepines and if necessary a broad spectrum anticonvulsive drug (ACD) such as valproic acid (VPA) can be added. The treatment of complex-partial SE follows the same scheme as that of generalized tonic-clonic SE and an initial benzodiazepine (i.v. lorazepam or intramuscular midazolam) followed by a bolus of one of the ACDs available as i.v. solution (e.g. VPA, phenytoin, phenobarbitol or levetiracetam). The third treatment step is general anesthesia if NCSE fails to be controlled. The aggressiveness of the applied therapy depends on the severity of the NCSE and the general condition of the patient. The prognosis is determined by the subtype of NCSE and the underlying etiology.

Anti-epileptic drugs

Therapeutic Reviews aim to provide essential independent information for health professionals about drugs used in palliative and hospice care. Additional content is available on www.palliativedrugs.com. Country-specific books (Hospice and Palliative Care Formulary USA, and Palliative Care Formulary, British and Canadian editions) are also available and can be ordered from www.palliativedrugs.com. The series editors welcome feedback on the articles (hq@palliativedrugs.com).

Pain Management and Symptom-Oriented Drug Therapy in Palliative Care

SUMMARY: Patients with advanced life-limiting disease often suffer from symptoms that considerably impair their quality of life and that of their families. Palliative care aims to alleviate these symptoms by a multidimensional approach. Pharmacotherapy is an essential component. The objective of this review is to give an overview of symptom-oriented drug therapy for the most important symptoms in palliative care. Leading symptoms that affect quality of life include pain, dyspnea, nausea and emesis, weakness and disorientation. Careful examination and history taking help to understand the individual mechanisms underlying these symptoms. Specific pharmacotherapy provides an efficient way to achieve symptom control in the context of palliative care.