The relationship between patient characteristics, laboratory findings and outcomes of the patients presenting with seizures to the emergency department

Abstract

Aims: Most patients with epilepsy have recurrent admissions to the emergency department (ED) during the disease. Insufficient information about this patient population causes a mismatch between patients' needs and health care delivery. For this reason, there is a need for objective methods that can be used to monitor seizure patients in EDs and to determine the need for hospitalization. This study aimed to develop management recommendations for patients with active seizures or a history of seizures prior to admission and contribute to the determination of the criteria for the ED follow-up period. Methods: This study was designed as a single-center, prospective, and observational study and included patients over 18 who presented to the ED for seizures. After the patients were included in the study, demographic and laboratory findings were recorded, and patients were followed up for 30 days for mortality and recurrent seizures. Results: Seventy-one patients were included in the study. The most known seizure causes were drug incompatibility (15.49%) and infection (9.86%). The most common comorbidities were Hypertension (16.90%), Diabetes Mellitus (12.68%), and cerebrovascular diseases (9.86%). The mortality rate was higher in patients who were hospitalized, had an active infection, and had a high CRP value. Conclusion: The 30-day mortality is higher in patients presenting to the ED with epileptic seizures; in the advanced age group, patients with active infection have an elevated C-reactive protein in laboratory parameters.