Incidence of new onset neurological disorders due to convulsive status epilepticus in children: A long-term population-based study in Tottori prefecture, Japan.

BACKGROUND Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a type of severe seizure associated with significant neurological sequelae. However, the extent to which CSE causes novel-onset neurological disorders in children remains unclear. This retrospective study aimed to assess long-term neurological outcomes after pediatric CSE, determine the incidence ratios of new-onset neurological conditions, and identify prognostic factors.

METHODS This study enrolled patients with CSE onset between 2006 and 2009 in any of nine hospitals in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, that potentially treated the condition in this area. We collected clinical data from the medical records, analyzed the incidence ratios of CSE, etiologies, and incidences of new-onset neurological diseases/conditions after CSE, and statistically analyzed the prognostic factors.

RESULTS A total of 140 pediatric patients developed new-onset CSE during the study period. The study found an CSE incidence ratio of 43.4 per 100,000 child-years. Febrile CSE was the most common cause. The incidence rates of new-onset neurological diseases/conditions after CSE were 8.6 per 100,000 child-years for epilepsy, 3.4 for intellectual disabilities, 2.8 for motor disabilities and 1.2 for acute mortality per 100,000 child-years. Multivariate analyses revealed that a history of afebrile seizures (p = 0.014), pre-existing structural brain abnormalities (p < 0.001) and acute symptomatic etiology (p = 0.032) were risk factors for new-onset intellectual disability, whereas pre-existing developmental/intellectual delay (p < 0.001) was risk factors for new-onset epilepsy.

CONCLUSIONS In this study, we determined the incidence of new-onset neurological problems due to CSE in children. These results may help to enhance the efficacy of CSE management strategies and improve prognosis.