Table 2.
Univariable comparisons of baseline characteristics of ICU patients with single and recurrent seizures (n = 200)
| Demographics and admission characteristics | Patients with single seizures (n = 59) |
Patients with recurrent seizures (n = 141) |
p value* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years; median, IQR) | 65 | 51–75 | 66 | 53–75 | 0.721 |
| Female (n, %) | 27 | 45.8 | 61 | 43.3 | 0.745 |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index (median, IQR) | 5 | 2–7 | 5 | 3–7 | 0.717 |
| APACHE II (median, IQR) | 26 | 21–31 | 23 | 17–27 | 0.003 |
| SOFA (median, IQR) | 7 | 6–10 | 6 | 4–9 | 0.010 |
| Presumed seizure etiology (n, %) | |||||
| Confirmed potential fatal etiology | 49 | 83.1 | 112 | 79.4 | 0.556 |
| Known epilepsy | 7 | 11.9 | 36 | 25.5 | 0.032 |
| Seizure type and characteristics | |||||
| Seizures reported to be focal (n, %) | 14 | 23.7 | 62 | 36.9 | 0.099 |
| Seizures reported to be focal to bilateral (n, %) | 38 | 64.4 | 60 | 43.5 | 0.005 |
| Seizures reported with motor symptoms (n, %) | 41 | 69.5 | 82 | 58.2 | 0.153 |
| Seizures reported without motor symptoms (n, %) | 12 | 20.3 | 27 | 19.1 | |
| Seizure reported with altered consciousness (n, %) | 51 | 86.4 | 109 | 77.3 | 0.176 |
| Lowest GCS on day of seizure (points; median, IQR) | 5 | 3–9 | 5 | 3–11 | 0.619 |
| EEG 24 h around seizure | 30 | 50.9 | 122 | 86.5 | < 0.001 |
| EEG immediately after or during seizure | 21 | 35.6 | 103 | 73.1 | < 0.001 |
| Continuous EEG | 5 | 8.5 | 50 | 35.5 | < 0.001 |
| EEG with generalized slowing | 27 | 45.8 | 84 | 59.6 | 0.073 |
| EEG with focal slowing | 8 | 13.6 | 51 | 36.1 | 0.001 |
| EEG with epileptiform discharges (spikes and sharp waves) | 9 | 15.3 | 37 | 26.4 | 0.101 |
| EEG with epileptic seizures | 0 | 0.0 | 55 | 39.0 | < 0.001 |
| Complications in close temporal relation to seizure (n, %) | |||||
| Persistent coma for ≥ 24 h following seizure | 44 | 74.6 | 94 | 66.7 | 0.270 |
| Infection at seizure onset | 21 | 35.6 | 58 | 41.1 | 0.465 |
| Acidosis at seizure onset | 24 | 40.7 | 26 | 18.4 | 0.001 |
| Seizure following emergency operations | 25 | 42.4 | 37 | 26.2 | 0.024 |
| Arterial hypotension requiring vasopressors during seizures | 21 | 35.6 | 41 | 29.1 | 0.364 |
| Treatment characteristics during seizure | |||||
| Seen by neurologist (n, %) | 37 | 62.7 | 128 | 90.8 | < 0.001 |
| In-hospital treatment (days; median, IQR) | 15 | 8–23 | 15 | 9–26 | 0.996 |
| ICU treatment (days; median, IQR) | 4 | 2–9 | 6 | 2–11 | 0.138 |
| Patients with previous antiseizure drugs (n, %) | 16 | 27.1 | 87 | 61.7 | < 0.001 |
| New or additional antiseizure drugs given in response to seizure (n, %) | 47 | 79.7 | 97 | 68.9 | 0.119 |
| Patients with intravenous anesthetic drugs during seizure (n, %) | 22 | 37.3 | 63 | 44.7 | 0.335 |
| Duration of mechanical ventilation (days; median, IQR) | 2 | 1–7 | 5 | 2–9 | 0.031 |
| Outcomes (n, %) | |||||
| No return to premorbid neurologic function at discharge (incl. death) | 43 | 72.9 | 110 | 78.0 | 0.435 |
| Death at hospital discharge | 13 | 22.0 | 29 | 20.6 | 0.816 |
IQR interquartile range, GCS Glasgow coma score, EEG electroencephalography, APACHE II acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (Range 0–71), SOFA sequential organ failure assessment (Range 0–24), ICU intensive care unit
Bold font indicates statistical significance
*Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test (for small sample sizes) were used for univariable comparisons of proportions