• Christian Lettieri, Grazia Devigili, Giada Pauletto, Miriam Isola, Sara Rinaldo, Riccardo Budai, and Roberto Eleopra.
• Unit of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, S. Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Udine, Italy - christian.lettieri@asuiud.sanita.fvg.it.
• Minerva Anestesiol. 2017 Dec 1; 83 (12): 1255-1264.

BackgroundStatus epilepticus (SE) is associated with high mortality in post-anoxic coma despite antiepileptic treatment. The aim of our study was to assess the percentage of awakening in a consecutive series of post-anoxic comatose patients with an EEG pattern consistent with SE and to verify any correlation with clinical, neurophysiological or pharmacological parameters.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data collected from seventeen patients affected by post-anoxic SE matching them with outcome scores by means of univariate statistical analysis.ResultsFour patients were not pharmacologically treated while thirteen patients were treated with a combination of benzodiazepines, antiepileptic or anesthetic drugs: seven patients awakened even if they showed a moderate-severe disability A statistically significant correlation with preserved median nerve cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), with the use of anesthetics and with the duration of SE was found.ConclusionsIn post-anoxic coma, SE does not always correlate with poor outcome. In patients with favorable patterns on multimodal prognostication approach, pharmacologic treatment, even aggressive, could be attempted.

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