Outcome and prognosis of status epilepticus in children

Abstract

The ultimate goal of treating status epilepticus is to provide the best opportunity for a good outcome. This review discusses the current literature on the outcome after status epilepticus in children, including the risk of recurrence, morbidity, and mortality. The outcome seems most dependent on etiology, with age and duration of status epilepticus also contributing. Convulsive status epilepticus has considerably more supporting literature, whereas the data on nonconvulsive status epilepticus are hindered by the lack of a standard definition and presumed under recognition. Future studies will need to address some of these methodological issues to provide the best information when discussing outcome with the family members of children with status epilepticus.