The aim of the study is to evaluate, prospectively, prognosis factors associated with convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) in adults hospitalized in intensive care units.

Status epilepticus is a neurologic and medical emergency associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. According to the operational definition Convulsive Status Epilepticus (CSE) is defined as a single clinical seizure lasting more than 10 min, or two or more repeated seizures over a period of more than 10 minutes without intervening recovery of consciousness.

There are a few to date in literature reporting prognosis factors associated with this condition and, at this time, there are no published data considering an operational definition of CSE.

In a retrospective study considering an operational definition we identified a seizure duration of 15 min associated with poor outcome (not yet published).

The principal goal of this study is to evaluate factors associated with outcome in CSE, in particular seizure duration of more than 15 minutes.

The secondary goals are to evaluate the epidemiology and management at every stage of CSE thus redefined.

Inclusion Criteria:

• More than 18 years old
• Convulsive status epilepticus according to operational definition as any seizure lasting for 10 minutes or longer, or two or more intermittent seizures lasting for greater than 10 minutes from which the patient did not regain consciousness.
• Beginning of seizure less than 12 hours before intensive care unit admission
• Convulsive status epilepticus occurring during intensive care unit stay

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 18 years old
• Patients that seized up to 9 minutes
• Beginning of seizure more than 12 hours before intensive care unit admission