Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine in Refractory/Super-refractory Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus: Single-Center Experience.

Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine in Refractory/Super-refractory Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus: Single-Center Experience. Clin EEG Neurosci. 2020 Aug 05;:1550059420942677 Authors: Dericioglu N, Arslan D, Arsava EM, Topcuoglu MA Abstract Refractory/super-refractory nonconvulsive status epilepticus (r/srNCSE) is an acute life-threatening neurocritical entity with significant morbidity. Failure to control SE in its earlier stages leads to multiple molecular alterations in the brain such as downregulation of GABA-A and upregulation of NMDA receptors. Recently ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, has gained increased attention as a therapeutic choice in controlling refractory/super-refractory SE. We aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety profile of ketamine in our center. We retrospectively identified all the patients with nonconvulsive SE who received ketamine during their follow-up in our neurological intensive care unit between 2009 and 2019. Information about demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings; concurrent antiseizure and anesthetic medications; time of initiation, dose and duration of ketamine infusion; any adverse effects and finally prognosis were collected. The effect of day of ketamine initiation and duration of infusion on ketamine efficacy were analyzed statistically. Seven patients (4 males, 3 females; age: 44-86 years) were included in the study. Encephalitis was the most common etiology. Concurrent antiseizur...
Source: Clinical EEG and Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Clin EEG Neurosci Source Type: research