MORBIDITY OF NONFEBRILE STATUS EPILEPTICUS IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, 1965-1984

Purpose: To analyze the nonfatal adverse events (AE) associated with a first episode of status epilepticus (SE). Methods: We performed a pop ulation-based retrospective cohort study to determine the morbidity of SE. Participants included 184 residents of Rochester, Minnesota who e xperienced nonfebrile SE between 1965 and 1984. Results: The etiology of SE was acute symptomatic in 100 patients and unprovoked in 84 patie nts. The most common seizure-types were continuous partial(n = 56, 30% ), generalized convulsive (n = 52, 28%), and generalized with focal fe atures (n = 32, 17%). Morbidity related to SE was noted in 5 of the 14 6 patients (3.4%) surviving 30 days. The AE in eluded hemiparesis (n = 3), encephalopathy (n = 2), mental retardation (n = 1), and aphasia ( n = I). All patients with morbidity had an acute symptomatic (n = 4) o r remote symptomatic (n = 1) etiology. Thirty-four patients (18.5%) ha d a second episode of SE. Conclusions: Based on this retrospective stu dy, significant morbidity related to SE is uncommon and is associated with the underlying etiology.