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Together with hippocampus, the amygdala is important in the epileptogenic network of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Recently, an increase in amygdala volumes (i.e. amygdala enlargement) has been proposed as morphological biomarker of a subtype of temporal lobe epilepsy patients without MRI abnormalities, although other data suggest that this finding might be unspecific and not exclusive to temporal lobe epilepsy. In these studies, the amygdala is treated as a single entity, while instead it is composed of different nuclei, each with peculiar function and connection. By adopting a recently developed methodology of amygdala’s subnuclei parcellation based of high-resolution T1-weighted image, this study aims to map specific amygdalar subnuclei participation in temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis (n = 24) and non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy (n = 24) with respect to patients with focal extratemporal lobe epilepsies (n = 20) and healthy controls (n = 30). The volumes of amygdala subnuclei were compared between groups adopting multivariate analyses of covariance and correlated with clinical variables. Additionally, a logistic regression analysis on the nuclei resulting statistically different across groups was performed. Compared with other populations, temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis showed a significant atrophy of the whole amygdala (pBonferroni = 0.040), particularly the basolateral complex (pBonferroni = 0.033), while the non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy group demonstrated an isolated hypertrophy of the medial nucleus (pBonferroni = 0.012). In both scenarios, the involved amygdala was ipsilateral to the epileptic focus. The medial nucleus demonstrated a volume increase even in extratemporal lobe epilepsies although contralateral to the seizure onset hemisphere (pBonferroni = 0.037). Non-lesional patients with psychiatric comorbidities showed a larger ipsilateral lateral nucleus compared with those without psychiatric disorders. This exploratory study corroborates the involvement of the amygdala in temporal lobe epilepsy, particularly in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and suggests a different amygdala subnuclei engagement depending on the aetiology and lateralization of epilepsy. Furthermore, the logistic regression analysis indicated that the basolateral complex and the medial nucleus of amygdala can be helpful to differentiate temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis and with MRI negative, respectively, versus controls with a consequent potential clinical yield. Finally, the present results contribute to the literature about the amygdala enlargement in temporal lobe epilepsy, suggesting that the increased volume of amygdala can be regarded as epilepsy-related structural changes common across different syndromes whose meaning should be clarified.

The study aimed to identify distinct phenotypes within nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). Consecutive episodes of NCSE in patients at least 14 years old were included. The level of consciousness was assessed through the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Etiology of NCSE was defined as symptomatic (acute, remote, progressive) or unknown. Electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings were searched for lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs), generalized sharply and/or triphasic periodic potentials (GPDs), and spontaneous burst suppression (BS). According to treatment response, NCSE was classified as responsive, refractory, or superrefractory. Average linkage hierarchical cluster analysis was performed with Pearson correlation as similarity measure. Two hundred twenty‐nine episodes of NCSE were included. Three clusters were identified. The first cluster linked GCS score 3–8, presence of spontaneous BS on EEG, acute symptomatic etiology, and treatment superrefractoriness. The second cluster gathered GCS score 9–12, presence of LPDs or GPDs on EEG, unknown etiology, and treatment refractoriness. The third cluster associated GCS score 13–15, absence of LPDs, GPDs, and spontaneous BS on EEG, and progressive and remote symptomatic etiology with treatment responsiveness. Phenotyping the heterogeneity of NCSE into electroclinical clusters can contribute to understanding correlations between pathologic and clinical domains, assessing the intrinsic severity of NCSE episodes, and estimating the likelihood of treatment responsiveness.

Background and purpose Status epilepticus (SE) is a heterogeneous condition and considerable variability exists in its etiology, semiology, electroencephalographic correlates, and response to treatment. The aim of the present study was to explore whether distinct phenotypes may be identified within SE with prominent motor symptoms. Methods Consecutive episodes of SE with prominent motor symptoms in patients aged ≥14 years were included. Etiology of SE was defined as symptomatic (acute, remote, progressive) or unknown. Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were searched for lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs), generalized sharply and/or triphasic periodic potentials (GPDs), and spontaneous burst suppression (BS). According to treatment response, SE was classified into responsive, refractory and super‐refractory. Average linkage hierarchical cluster analysis was performed with Pearson's correlation as a similarity measure. Results A total of 240 episodes of SE were identified. Three major clusters were found. The first cluster linked focal motor SE evolving into non‐convulsive SE (NCSE), presence of LPDs/GPDs on EEG, unknown etiology and treatment refractoriness. The second cluster linked convulsive and myoclonic SE evolving into NCSE, presence of spontaneous BS on EEG, progressive symptomatic etiology and super‐refractoriness. The third cluster linked convulsive and myoclonic SE not evolving into other semiologies, absence of LPDs/GPDs/spontaneous BS on EEG, acute symptomatic etiology and treatment responsiveness. Conclusions Distinct electroclinical phenotypes characterized by different response to pharmacological intervention can be identified within the heterogeneity of SE with prominent motor phenomena., The study explored whether distinct phenotypes may be identified within status epilepticus (SE) with prominent motor symptoms. Average linkage hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. Three major electro‐clinical phenotypes were identified. The first cluster associated focal motor SE evolving into non‐convulsive SE (NCSE), presence of LPDs/GPDs on EEG, unknown etiology and treatment refractoriness. The second cluster linked convulsive and myoclonic SE evolving into NCSE, presence of spontaneous BS on EEG, progressive symptomatic etiology and super‐refractoriness. The third cluster gathered convulsive and myoclonic SE not evolving into other semiologies, absence of LPDs/GPDs/spontaneous BS on EEG, acute symptomatic etiology and treatment responsiveness.

Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is a status epilepticus (SE) that continues or recurs ≥24 h after the onset of anesthesia. We aimed to identify the predictors of progression to SRSE and the risk of 30-day mortality in patients with SRSE by using a machine learning technique.We reviewed consecutive SE episodes in patients aged ≥14 years at Baggiovara Civil Hospital (Modena, Italy) from 2013 to 2021. A classification and regression tree analysis was performed to develop a predictive model of progression to SRSE in SE patients. In SRSE patients, a multivariate analysis was conducted to identify predictors of 30-day mortality.We included 705 patients, 16% of whom (113/705) progressed to SRSE. Acute symptomatic hypoxic etiology and age ≤ 68.5 years predicted the highest risk (87.1%) of progression to SRSE. Etiology other than acute symptomatic hypoxic and absence of NCSE predicted the lowest risk (3.6%) of progression to SRSE. The predictive model was accurate in 96.1% of patients not evolving to SRSE and in 48.7% of those evolving to SRSE. Among patients with SRSE, 46.9% (53/113) died within 30 days compared to 25.2% (149/592) of patients without SRSE (p 0.001). Among patients with SRSE, older age was associated with increased 30-day mortality (odds ratio 1.075; 95% confidence interval: 1.031-1.112; p = 0.001).Acute symptomatic hypoxic etiology and younger age are major predictors of progression to SRSE. In patients with SRSE, older age is associated with increased risk of short-term mortality.

This study was undertaken to validate the accuracy of the Epidemiology-Based Mortality Score in Status Epilepticus (EMSE) in predicting the risk of death at 30 days in a large cohort of patients with status epilepticus (SE) using a machine learning system.We included consecutive patients with SE admitted from 2013 to 2021 at Modena Academic Hospital. A decision tree analysis was performed using the 30-day mortality as a dependent variable and the EMSE predictors as input variables. We evaluated the accuracy of EMSE in predicting 30-day mortality using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC ROC), with 95% confidence interval (CI). We performed a subgroup analysis on nonhypoxic SE.A total of 698 patients with SE were included, with a 30-day mortality of 28.9% (202/698). The mean EMSE value in the entire population was 57.1 (SD = 36.3); it was lower in surviving compared to deceased patients (47.1, SD = 31.7 vs. 81.9, SD = 34.8; p .001). The EMSE was accurate in predicting 30-day mortality, with an AUC ROC of .782 (95% CI = .747-.816). Etiology was the most relevant predictor, followed by age, electroencephalogram (EEG), and EMSE comorbidity group B. The decision tree analysis using EMSE variables correctly predicted the risk of mortality in 77.9% of cases; the prediction was accurate in 85.7% of surviving and in 58.9% of deceased patients within 30 days after SE. In nonhypoxic SE, the most relevant predictor was age, followed by EEG, and EMSE comorbidity group B; the prediction was correct in 78.9% of all cases (89.6% in survivors and 46.1% in nonsurvivors).This validation study using a machine learning analysis shows that the EMSE is a valuable prognostic tool, and appears particularly accurate and effective in identifying patients with 30-day survival, whereas its performance in predicting 30-day mortality is lower and needs to be further improved.

To develop a nomogram using the parameters of the Epidemiology-Based Mortality Score in Status Epilepticus (EMSE) and to evaluate its accuracy compared with the EMSE alone in the prediction of 30-day mortality in patients with status epilepticus (SE).We included a cohort of patients with SE aged ≥ 21 years admitted from 2013 to 2021. Regression coefficients from the multivariable logistic regression model were used to generate a nomogram predicting the risk of 30-day mortality. Discrimination of the nomogram was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC) with 95% confidence interval. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap resampling.Among 698 patients with SE, the 30-day mortality rate was 28.9% (202 of 698). On the multivariable analysis, all EMSE parameters (except for the comorbidity group including metastatic solid tumor or AIDS) were associated with a significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality and were included in the nomogram. The discriminatory capability of the nomogram with bootstrap resampling (5000 resamples) had an AUCROC of 0.830 (95% confidence interval 0.798-0.862). Conversely, the AUCROC of the EMSE was 0.777 (95% confidence interval 0.742-0.813). Thus, the probability that a patient who died within 30 days from SE had a higher score than a patient who survived was 83%, indicating good discriminatory power of the nomogram. Conversely, the risk predicted using the EMSE alone was 77%. The nomogram was well calibrated.A nomogram based on EMSE parameters appears superior to the EMSE in predicting the risk of 30-day mortality after SE. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram shows a better predictive accuracy than the EMSE alone.

The objective of this study was to validate the value of the Status Epilepticus Severity Score (STESS) in the prediction of the risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with nonhypoxic status epilepticus (SE) using a machine learning analysis.We included consecutive patients with nonhypoxic SE (aged ≥ 16 years) admitted from 2013 to 2021 at the Modena Academic Hospital. A decision tree analysis was performed using in-hospital mortality as a dependent variable and the STESS predictors as input variables. We evaluated the accuracy of STESS in predicting in-hospital mortality using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) with 95% confidence interval (CI).Among 629 patients with SE, the in-hospital mortality rate was 23.4% (147 of 629). The median STESS in the entire cohort was 2.9 (SD 1.6); it was lower in surviving compared with deceased patients (2.7, SD 1.5 versus 3.9, SD 1.6; p 0.001). Of deceased patients, 82.3% (121 of 147) had scores of 3-6, whereas 17.7% (26 of 147) had scores of 0-2 (p 0.001). STESS was accurate in predicting mortality, with an AUROC of 0.688 (95% CI 0.641-0.734) only slightly reduced after bootstrap resampling. The most significant predictor was the seizure type, followed by age and level of consciousness at SE onset. Nonconvulsive SE in coma and age ≥ 65 years predicted a higher risk of mortality, whereas generalized convulsive SE and age 65 years were associated with a lower risk of death. The decision tree analysis using STESS variables correctly classified 90% of survivors and 34% of nonsurvivors after the SE, with an overall risk of error of 23.1%.This validation study using a machine learning system showed that STESS is a valuable prognostic tool. The score appears particularly accurate and effective in identifying patients who are alive at discharge (high negative predictive value), whereas it has a lower predictive value for in-hospital mortality.

Ictal respiratory disturbances have increasingly been reported, in both generalized and focal seizures, especially involving the temporal lobe. Recognition of ictal breathing impairment has gained importance for the risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of ictal apnea (IA) and related hypoxemia during seizures.We collected and analyzed electroclinical data from consecutive patients undergoing long-term video-electroencephalographic (video-EEG) monitoring with cardiorespiratory polygraphy. Patients were recruited at the epilepsy monitoring unit of the Civil Hospital of Baggiovara, Modena Academic Hospital, from April 2020 to February 2022.A total of 552 seizures were recorded in 63 patients. IA was observed in 57 of 552 (10.3%) seizures in 16 of 63 (25.4%) patients. Thirteen (81.2%) patients had focal seizures, and 11 of 16 patients showing IA had a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy; two had a diagnosis of frontal lobe epilepsy and three of epileptic encephalopathy. Apnea agnosia was reported in all seizure types. Hypoxemia was observed in 25 of 57 (43.9%) seizures with IA, and the severity of hypoxemia was related to apnea duration. Apnea duration was significantly associated with epilepsy of unknown etiology (magnetic resonance imaging negative) and with older age at epilepsy onset (p lt; 0.001).Ictal respiratory changes are a frequent clinical phenomenon, more likely to occur in focal epilepsies, although detected even in patients with epileptic encephalopathy. Our findings emphasize the need for respiratory polygraphy during long-term video-EEG monitoring for diagnostic and prognostic purposes, as well as in relation to the potential link of ictal apnea with the SUDEP risk.

Knowledge regarding consequences among status epilepticus (SE) survivors is still scarce. We assessed the risk of recurrence in a cohort of first-ever adult SE survivors, comparing the clinical features of patients with recurrent and incident events.We reviewed our prospective register of consecutive SE patients, from September 1st 2013 to September 1st 2020. We excluded post-anoxic events and those patients with a SE prior the study period. We examined the effect of clinical predictors on the risk of subsequent SE through Cox proportional hazard regression, while the risk of recurrence was estimated through a survival analysis.430 patients were considered (mean follow-up: 23.3 months). 44 patients experienced SE recurrence, whereas 386 patients presented an isolated event. The highest risk of recurrence was observed within 6 months from the index event (7.9%), whereas the cumulative recurrence rate was 9.5%, 13%, and 20.5% at 6 months, 1 year, and 4-years respectively. SE recurrence was independently associated to remote (HR 2.8 - 95% CI 1.4 to 6.0) or progressive symptomatic etiologies (HR 3.9 - 95% CI 1.8 to 8.7) and it was higher for Super-Refractory SE (SRSE) cases (HR 3.3 - 95% CI 1.4 to 7.8). High STESS values (p = 0.01) and SE refractoriness (p = 0.01) were associated with early relapses (within 6 months from the index event).SE recurrence involved a significantly proportion of our cohort. Etiology other than acute symptomatic and SRSE were independently associated with a higher risk of recurrence, in particular within 6 months from the index event.

New onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), is a rare and challenging condition occurring in previously healthy people. The etiology often remains undiscovered and is frequently associated with an unfavorable outcome. We report the electroclinical and neuroradiological evolution of an ultra-long case of NORSE of unknown etiology. A 38-year-old woman with a prodrome of fever, vomiting and diarrhea was admitted to our Intensive Care Unit for refractory convulsive status epilepticus (SE). Her past medical history was unremarkable. Extensive examinations were negative for potential viral, autoimmune and metabolic etiologies. Despite multiple therapeutical attempts with antiseizures medications, anesthetics and immunotherapy, seizures persisted. After nearly 6 months of enduring seizures, SE finally ceased and the patient gradually recovered to a minimum state of awareness. She was then able to communicate through one-word utterances and to understand simple tasks. At a three-years follow-up, she developed multifocal drug-resistant epilepsy, subcortical myoclonus and severe spastic quadraparesis, becoming completely dependent for activities of daily living. To our knowledge, this represents one of the longest cases of NORSE with final status resolution at this time. However, ultra-long SE in this case led to severe and disabling neurological sequelae. Future studies focused on disease modifying treatments for refractory SE are needed.

During the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinicians are increasingly involved in the observation of possible neurological complications due to the infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]. Among neurologic emergencies, new onset seizures and status epilepticus in non-epileptic patients are up to now, infrequently reported [2]. We hereby report a case of New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE) [3] in a patient with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection.

We present a clinical case of a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection and respiratory symptoms, complicated with a pro-thrombotic state involving multiple vascular territories and concomitant interleukin-6 increase. This case underlines the possibility to develop a COVID-19-related coagulopathy.

Simultaneous EEG-fMRI can contribute to identify the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in focal epilepsies. However, fMRI maps related to Interictal Epileptiform Discharges (IED) commonly show multiple regions of signal change rather than focal ones. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) can estimate effective connectivity, i.e. the causal effects exerted by one brain region over another, based on fMRI data. Here, we employed DCM on fMRI data in 10 focal epilepsy patients with multiple IED-related regions of BOLD signal change, to test whether this approach can help the localization process of EZ. For each subject, a family of competing deterministic, plausible DCM models were constructed using IED as autonomous input at each node, one at time. The DCM findings were compared to the presurgical evaluation results and classified as: "Concordant" if the node identified by DCM matches the presumed focus, "Discordant" if the node is distant from the presumed focus, or "Inconclusive" (no statistically significant result). Furthermore, patients who subsequently underwent intracranial EEG recordings or surgery were considered as having an independent validation of DCM results. The effective connectivity focus identified using DCM was Concordant in 7 patients, Discordant in two cases and Inconclusive in one. In four of the 6 patients operated, the DCM findings were validated. Notably, the two Discordant and Invalidated results were found in patients with poor surgical outcome. Our findings provide preliminary evidence to support the applicability of DCM on fMRI data to investigate the epileptic networks in focal epilepsy and, particularly, to identify the EZ in complex cases.

Purpose to evaluate the use, effectiveness, and adverse events of intravenous brivaracetam (BRV) in status epilepticus (SE). Methods a retrospective multicentric study involving 24 Italian neurology units was performed from March 2018 to June 2020. A shared case report form was used across participating centres to limit biases of retrospective data collection. Diagnosis and classification of SE followed the 2015 ILAE proposal. We considered a trial with BRV a success when it was the last administered drug prior the clinical and/or EEG resolution of seizures, and the SE did not recur during hospital observation. In addition, we considered cases with early response, defined as SE resolved within 6 h after BRV administration. Results 56 patients were included (mean age 62 years; 57 % male). A previous diagnosis of epilepsy was present in 21 (38 %). Regarding SE etiology classification 46 % were acute symptomatic, 18 % remote and 16 % progressive symptomatic. SE episodes with prominent motor features were the majority (80 %). BRV was administered as first drug after benzodiazepine failure in 21 % episodes, while it was used as the second or the third (or more) drug in the 38 % and 38 % of episodes respectively. The median loading dose was 100 mg (range 50−300 mg). BRV was effective in 32 cases (57 %). An early response was documented in 22 patients (39 % of the whole sample). The use of the BRV within 6 h from SE onset was independently associated to an early SE resolution (OR 32; 95 % CI 3.39–202; p = 0.002). No severe treatment emergent adverse events were observed. Conclusion BRV proved to be useful and safe for the treatment of SE. Time to seizures resolution appears shorter when it is administered in the early phases of SE.

Introduction Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency and in particular nonconvulsive SE (NCSE) represents a diagnostic challenge. To improve clinical decision-making, cerebral perfusion-computed tomography (PCT) has been shown as a helpful tool to support the diagnosis of focal NCSE. Materials and methods This is a monocentric retrospective study. Among the 602 cases of SE observed between September 2013 and April 2020 we included 21 patients that were studied with PCT. The perfusion maps were first visually analysed then a quantitative analysis (by regions of interest, ROI) was obtained. For each patient, the diagnostic EEG was reviewed and classified in accordance to the Salzburg Criteria for NCSE (SCC) as definite (D-NCSE) and possible (P-NCSE). Finally, we analysed the relationship between PCT and EEG patterns. Results Hyper-perfusion was observed in 18 patients (86%), while in the remaining 3 (14%) a normo-perfused pattern was present. Hyper-perfusion was observed in 14 of the D-NCSE group (88%) and in the two patients with a P-NCSE (100%). No one among the patients with a P-NCSE had a thalamic hyper-perfusion, while among the 6 patients with continuous sustained epileptiform discharges > 2.5 Hz (pattern 1 of SCC), 4 (67%) showed cortical plus thalamic hyper-perfusion. Conclusions PCT could facilitate the differential diagnosis and speed-up the diagnostic process of NCSE in emergency situations. Finding cortical multi-lobar hyper-perfusion, especially if present together with homolateral thalamic hyper-perfusion in a patient with an acute-onset of motor/sensory/language deficits is highly suggestive for the presence of NCSE and is particularly related to continuous/sustained ictal patterns.

Summary Objective In 2015, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) proposed a new definition of status epilepticus (SE): 5 minutes of ongoing seizure activity to diagnose convulsive SE (CSE, ie, bilateral tonic–clonic SE) and 10 minutes for focal SE and absence SE, rather than the earlier criterion of 30 minutes. Based on semiology, several types of SE with prominent motor phenomena at any time (including CSE) were distinguished from those without (ie, nonconvulsive SE, NCSE). We present the first population‐based incidence study applying the new 2015 ILAE definition and classification of SE and report the impact of the evolution of semiology and level of consciousness (LOC) on outcome. Methods We conducted a retrospective population‐based incidence study of all adult patients with SE residing in the city of Salzburg between January 2011 and December 2015. Patients with hypoxic encephalopathy were excluded. SE was defined and classified according to the ILAE 2015. Results We identified 221 patients with a median age of 69 years (range 20‐99 years). The age‐ and sex‐adjusted incidence of a first episode of SE, NCSE, and SE with prominent motor phenomena (including CSE) was 36.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.2‐48.5), 12.1 (95% CI 6.8‐20.0), and 24.0 (95% CI 16.0‐34.5; including CSE 15.8 [95% CI 9.4‐24.8]) per 100 000 adults per year, respectively. None of the patients whose SE ended with or consisted of only bilateral tonic–clonic activity died. In all other clinical presentations, case fatality was lower in awake patients (8.2%) compared with patients with impaired consciousness (33%). Significance This first population‐based study using the ILAE 2015 definition and classification of SE found an increase of incidence of 10% compared to previous definitions. We also provide epidemiologic evidence that different patterns of status evolution and LOCs have strong prognostic implications.

Neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone may play a role in epilepsy as positive modulators of inhibitory currents mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA ) receptor. Indeed, these molecules have been consistently shown to be anticonvulsants in animal models, but their role is still unclear in patients. For this reason, we investigated neurosteroids in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with status epilepticus (SE) by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry. Patients were retrospectively identified within subjects who received a lumbar puncture in the 2007-2017 period. Seventy-three patients (median age 65, ranging from 13 to 94 years; 67% women) with SE were evaluated. Controls (n = 52, median age 53, ranging from 16 to 93 years; 65% women) were patients presenting with symptoms for which a lumbar puncture was required by clinical guidelines, and who were negative at the end of the diagnostic work-up. Progesterone was 64% lower in patients with SE (p < 0.001). With respect to progesterone, upstream pregnenolone sulfate and pregnenolone did not change. Instead, downstream 5α-dihydroprogesterone, pregnanolone and allopregnanolone were, respectively, 49% (p < 0.001), 21% (p < 0.01) and 37% (p < 0.001) lower than in controls. Duration or type of SE, age and sex did not consistently affect CSF neurosteroid levels in the SE cohort. Instead, pregnenolone sulfate (Spearman's ρ = 0.4335, p < 0.01), allopregnanolone (ρ = 0.4121, p < 0.05) and pregnanolone (ρ = 0.592, p < 0.001) levels significantly increased by aging in controls. We conclude that neurosteroidogenesis is defective in patients with SE.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides an opportunity for identifying peri-ictal MRI abnormalities (PMAs) related to status epilepticus (SE). Extremely variable MRI alterations have been reported previously during or after SE, mainly in small selected populations. In a retrospective monocentric study, we analyzed brain MRI changes observed in the ictal/postictal periods of SE in an adult population. We included all consecutive patients observed in a 5-year period with an electroclinical diagnosis of SE and an MRI performed within 30 days from the beginning of SE. We identified 277 patients. Among them, 32 (12%) showed PMAs related to SE. The duration of SE was strongly associated with MRI alterations, showing a mean duration of 6 days vs 2 days (P = .011) in the group with and without MRI alterations, respectively. Focal electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities (P = .00003) and in particular, lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) (P < .0001) were strongly associated with PMAs. MRI alterations were unilateral (23 patients, 72%), located in multiple brain structures (19 patients, 59%), and involving mesiotemporal structures (17 patients, 53%). Sixteen patients (50%) had good spatial correspondence between cortical PMAs and the focal EEG pattern; 12 patients (38%) with focal EEG pattern showed cortical PMAs plus MRI signal changes also involving subcortical structures. A follow-up MRI was available for 14 of 32 patients (44%): 10 patients presented a disappearance of PMAs, whereas in 4, PMAs were still present. This study demonstrates that a long duration SE and the presence of certain EEG patterns (LPDs) are associated with the occurrence of PMAs. A good spatial concordance was observed between cortical PMA location and the EEG focus.

Status epilepticus (SE) is a neurological emergency, characterized by high short-term morbidity and mortality. We evaluated and compared two scores that have been developed to evaluate status epilepticus prognosis: STESS (Status Epilepticus Severity Score) and EMSE (Epidemiology based Mortality score in Status Epilepticus).A prospective observational study was performed on consecutive patients with SE admitted between September 2013 and August 2015. Demographics, clinical variables, STESS-3 and -4, and EMSE-64 scores were calculated for each patient at baseline. SE drug response, 30-day mortality and morbidity were the outcomes measure.162 episodes of SE were observed: 69% had a STESS ≥3; 34% had a STESS ≥4; 51% patients had an EMSE ≥64. The 30-days mortality was 31.5%: EMSE-64 showed greater negative predictive value (NPV) (97.5%), positive predictive value (PPV) (59.8%) and accuracy in the prediction of death than STESS-3 and STESS-4 (p0.001). At 30 days, the clinical condition had deteriorated in 59% of the cases: EMSE-64 showed greater NPV (71.3%), PPV (87.8%) and accuracy than STESS-3 and STESS-4 (p0.001) in the prediction of this outcome. In 23% of all cases, status epilepticus proved refractory to non-anaesthetic treatment. All three scales showed a high NPV (EMSE-64: 87.3%; STESS-4: 89.4%; STESS-3: 87.5%) but a low PPV (EMSE-64: 40.9%; STESS-4: 52.9%; STESS-3: 32%) for the prediction of refractoriness to first and second line drugs. This means that accuracy for the prediction of refractoriness was equally poor for all scales.EMSE-64 appears superior to STESS-3 and STESS-4 in the prediction of 30-days mortality and morbidity. All scales showed poor accuracy in the prediction of response to first and second line antiepileptic drugs. At present, there are no reliable scores capable of predicting treatment responsiveness.

Purpose To evaluate the concordance between the EEG diagnosis of non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) made by the treating physician and the application of the Salzburg Consensus Criteria (SCC) on consecutive urgent EEG requested for acute alteration of consciousness not otherwise explained. Methods Retrospective evaluation of all urgent EEGs acquired between January 1st and March 31st 2018 in adolescents and adult patients (≥14 years old). The ‘reference’ was the neurologist who first evaluated the patient and reported the corresponding EEG diagnosis. All were blind to the SCC. All included EEG were evaluated and classified by three neurologists trained in the application of SCC blind to the clinical diagnosis. Results 181 consecutive EEGs entered the study. The treating clinician diagnosed a NCSE in 17 cases (9%). According to the SCC, 12 EEGs were classified as Definite NCSE (7%), 71 (39 %) as Possible NCSE, and 98 (54 %) as no NCSE. A perfect concordance was found for the Definite- and No-NCSE categories, while only 5 patients with a Possible-NCSE were diagnosed by the treating clinician as having NCSE. It is relevant to note that aamong the 66 patients with a Possible NCSE not diagnosed as SE by the treating clinician, only two presented an evolution toward a definite SE. Conclusion SCC have optimal performances for the ‘Definite NCSE’, and to exclude the presence of a NCSE. Conversely, the Possible NCSE category is still a a grey land of debate that could potentially include many different conditions.

Objective To explore neurophysiological features of musicogenic epilepsy (ME), discussing experimental findings in the framework of a systematic review on ME. Methods Two patients with ME underwent high-density-electroencephalography (hd-EEG) while listening to ictogenic songs. In one case, musicogenic seizures were elicited. Independent component analysis (ICA) was applied to hd-EEG, and components hosting interictal and ictal elements were identified and localized. Finally, the temporal dynamics of spike-density was studied relative to seizures. All findings were compared against the results of a systematic review on ME, collecting 131 cases. Results Interictal spikes appeared isolated in specific fronto-temporal independent components, whose cortical generators were located in the anterior temporal and inferior frontal lobe. In the patient undergoing seizure, ictal discharge relied in the same component, with the interictal spike-density decreasing before the seizure onset. Conclusion Our study shows how ICA can isolate neurophysiological features of ictal and interictal discharges in ME, highlighting a fronto-temporal localization and a suppression of spike-density preceding the seizure onset. Significance While the localization of ME activity could indicate which aspect within the musical stimulus might trigger musicogenic seizures for each patient, the study of ME dynamics could contribute to the development of models for seizure-prediction and their validation.

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a transient myocardial dysfunction mainly affecting the left ventricle, mimicking an acute coronary syndrome. This condition can be precipitated either by psychological/physical stressful events or by a number of medical conditions among which are seizures and status epilepticus (SE). The evolution is mostly favourable but sometimes TTC can evolve into life-threatening conditions. We searched for cases of TTC among all consecutive SE episodes observed at our department during the period 2013-2018. In addition, we searched MEDLINE (accessed through PubMed from inception to August 31, 2018) to identify reports of patients with TTC associated with an SE episode. Three TTC cases among 392 SE episodes were identified. Adding our cases to those previously reported, overall, we identified 45 cases of TTC induced by SE. The majority were females of around 60 years of age experiencing a first episode of SE with prominent motor phenomena, mostly in the context of remote aetiology. The most frequent presenting symptom was mild hypotension but cases with a severe presentation were also reported. The overall evolution was positive in all cases but some severe complications such as pulmonary oedema, cardiogenic shock, ventricular fibrillation, and a giant apical thrombus were also reported (19%). TTC may be a rare potentially life-threatening consequence of SE. It is frequently unrecognized, and therefore underdiagnosed. Clinicians dealing with SE should be aware of this entity.

Paroxysmal dysarthria-ataxia syndrome (PDA), first described by Parker in 1946, is characterized by paroxysmal and stereotyped repeated daily episodes of sudden ataxic symptoms associated with dysarthric speech lasting from few seconds to minutes.1 During the episodes, patients present with slow speech, irregular articulatory breakdown, dysprosodia, hypernasality, variable pitch and loudness, and prolonged intervals, consistent with perceptual characteristics of ataxic dysarthria.2,3

Between 3 and 12% of all adult status epilepticus (SE) are caused by a brain tumor. Gliomas, and in particular, high-grade gliomas (HGGs), are at high risk of SE development. In this study, we aimed to describe the clinical characteristic and outcomes of tumor-associated SE (TASE) in a population of adult patients with glioma prospectively collected between 2013 and 2019. In the aforementioned period, we observed 26 TASE (median age: 68 years). Overall, 22 patients (85%) presented a HGG (one anaplastic astrocytoma and 21 a glioblastoma) while 4 had a LGG (two diffuse astrocytoma and two ganglioglioma). All the lesions were supratentorial, and the temporal lobe was the most frequently involved (20 patients). Fourteen patients (54%) had the SE episode as the first manifestation of the tumor; in the remaining 12 (all patients with a HGG), the development of SE heralded tumor progression or reappearance. When TASE outcomes were compared with the ones observed in the general population of SE (SEGP), the response to treatment was not different between the two populations (refractory SE (RSE)/super-refractory SE (SRSE) 12% versus 13%, p = 0.75). In the short-term, group with TASE had a significantly lower global disability (modified Rankin scale (mRS) 3 at discharge: 60% versus 32%, p 0.001; at 30 days follow-up: 62% versus 30%, p 0.001) and mortality (30 days mortality: 4% versus 27%, p = 0.008). Six months and 1 year mortality did not show any difference between the two groups (6 months: 46% and 45%, respectively, p = 0.9; 1 year: 68% and 52%, respectively, p = 0.22). The appearance of TASE often heralds tumor grow and progression. Even in this context, it appears to be as treatment-responsive as SEGP and the short-term disability and mortality related to SE episode are lower than those observed in the SEGP. Proceedings of the 7th London-Innsbruck Colloquium on Status Epilepticus and Acute Seizures.

Summary Neuroactive steroids are increasingly considered as relevant modulators of neuronal activity. Especially allopregnanolone (AP) and pregnenolone sulfate (PS) have been shown to possess, respectively, anticonvulsant or proconvulsant properties. In view of the potential role of these steroids, we aimed at evaluating AP and PS levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples obtained from patients with status epilepticus (SE). To this purpose, we enrolled 41 patients affected by SE and 41 subjects investigated for nonepileptic neurologic disorders. Liquid chromatographic procedures coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and routine laboratory investigations were performed. Significantly lower AP levels were found in the CSF of patients affected by SE (−30%; p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Notably, AP was not detectable in 28 of 41 patients affected by SE (p < 0.01 vs. controls, Fisher's exact test). In serum, AP levels did not differ in the two considered groups. Conversely, PS was present at similar levels in the investigated groups. Finally, differences in AP levels could not be explained by a variation in CSF albumin content. These findings indicate that AP is defective in the CSF of patients affected by SE. This phenomenon was not dependent on carriers for steroids, such as albumin.

Autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) type 12 is a rare SCA characterized by a heterogeneous phenotype. Action tremor of the upper limbs is the most common presenting sign and cerebellar signs can appear subsequently. In many cases, minor signs, like dystonia, can be predominant even at onset. Laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia) has been observed only in one case of SCA12 and never reported at disease onset. We present a 61-year-old female who developed spasmodic dysphonia followed by dystonic tremor and subsequent ataxia diagnosed with SCA12. Thus, spasmodic dysphonia can be a presenting symptom of SCA12.

Summary Objective Although many studies have attempted to describe treatment outcomes in patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy, results are often limited by the adoption of nonhomogeneous criteria and different definitions of seizure freedom. We sought to evaluate treatment outcomes with a newly administered antiepileptic drug (AED) in a large population of adults with drug‐resistant focal epilepsy according to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) outcome criteria. Methods This is a multicenter, observational, prospective study of 1053 patients with focal epilepsy diagnosed as drug‐resistant by the investigators. Patients were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months, for up to a maximum of 34 months after introducing another AED into their treatment regimen. Drug resistance status and treatment outcomes were rated according to ILAE criteria by the investigators and by at least two independent members of an external expert panel (EP). Results A seizure‐free outcome after a newly administered AED according to ILAE criteria ranged from 11.8% after two failed drugs to 2.6% for more than six failures. Significantly fewer patients were rated by the EP as having a “treatment failure” as compared to the judgment of the investigator (46.7% vs 62.9%, P