Status epilepticus in children in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to analyze these seizures with respect to clinical presentation, etiology, pharmacologic management, and short term evolution. Methods: We enrolled 436 children, aged five months to ten years, who presented with seizures persisting for more than 5 min through pediatric emergency rooms of nine hospitals. Results: 57.8% of children were under three years old. 7% had pre-existing psychomotor delay. 21% of children had had previous seizures; however, only 13% of these patients were receiving antiepileptic therapy. On presentation, 63.5% of patients were associated with fever, 26% were in status epilepticus. 21% of seizures were focal. Malaria was the most commonly implicated etiology involving 64% of cases. The seizure recurrence and mortality rates were 38% and 4%, respectively. Conclusion: Prolonged seizures in DRC and Rwanda are largely associated with fever, and most commonly caused by malaria. The immediate use of long-acting antiepileptic drug could improve their outcomes in our settings