Status Epilepticus in Children: Clinical Features, Management, and Outcomes in a Single-Center Experience A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Pediatric Neurology Center
Iranian Journal of Child Neurology,
Vol. 20 No. 4 (2026),
1 September 2026
,
Page e4
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijcn.v20i4.50012
Abstract
Objectives:
The classification of status epilepticus (SE) has undergone several revisions, with the most recent update published by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in 2015. However, in seizures lasting longer than 10 minutes, there is still no consensus on optimal drug selection.
Materials & Methods:
This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with SE and followed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Neurology, and Pediatric Emergency Unit at Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine.
Results:
A total of 64 patients were included. Sequential therapy with levetiracetam following phenytoin proved to be an effective treatment strategy prior to escalation to third-line agents. In our clinic, rapid MRI protocols, including axial T1, axial T2, sagittal T2, and diffusion-weighted sequences, were preferred for emergency neuroimaging. These rapid protocols were both practical and effective in the acute management of SE.
Conclusions:
Rapid brain MRI techniques are easy to apply and provide valuable diagnostic insights into the etiology of SE. Sequential administration of second-line drugs may reduce the side-effect profile and optimize seizure control in children with SE.
- Status epilepticus, Seizure management, Antiepileptic drugs
How to Cite
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