Impact of Seizures and Status Epilepticus on Outcome in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the association between seizures as divided by timing and type (seizures or status epilepticus) and outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). METHODS: All consecutive patients with aSAH admitted to the neurocritical care unit of the University Hospital Zurich between 2016 and 2020 were included. Seizure type and frequency were extracted from electronic patient files. RESULTS: Out of 245 patients, 76 experienced acute symptomatic seizures, with 39 experiencing seizures at onset, 18 experiencing acute seizures, and 19 experiencing acute nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). Multivariate analysis revealed that acute symptomatic NCSE was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio 14.20, 95% confidence interval 1.74-116.17, p = 0.013) after correction for age, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, and delayed cerebral ischemia. Subgroup analysis showed a significant association of all seizures/NCSE with higher Fisher grade (p < 0.001 for acute symptomatic seizures/NCSE, p = 0.031 for remote symptomatic seizures). However, although acute seizures/NCSE (p = 0.750 and 0.060 for acute seizures/NCSE respectively) were not associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with a high Hunt-Hess grade, they were significantly associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade (p = 0.019 and p < 0.001 for acute seizures/NCSE, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Acute symptomatic NCSE independently predicts unfavorable outcome after aSAH. Seizures and NCSE are associated with unfavorable outcome, particularly in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade. We propose that NCSE and the ictal or postictal reduction of Glasgow Coma Scale may hamper close clinical evaluation for signs of delayed cerebral ischemia, and thus possibly leading to delayed diagnosis and therapy thereof in patients with a low Hunt-Hess grade.

Anatomical features of primary brain tumors affect seizure risk and semiology.

OBJECTIVE: An epileptic seizure is the most common clinical manifestation of a primary brain tumor. Due to modern neuroimaging, detailed anatomical information on a brain tumor is available early in the diagnostic process and therefore carries considerable potential in clinical decision making. The goal of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relevance of anatomical tumor characteristics on seizure prevalence and semiology. METHODS: We reviewed prospectively collected clinical and imaging data of all patients operated on a supratentorial intraparenchymal primary brain tumor at our department between January 2009 and December 2016. The effect of tumor histology, anatomical location and white matter infiltration on seizure prevalence and semiology were assessed using uni- and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Of 678 included patients, 311 (45.9%) presented with epileptic seizures. Tumor location within the central lobe was associated with higher seizure prevalence (OR 4.67, 95% CI: 1.90-13.3, p = .002), especially within the precentral gyrus or paracentral lobule (100%). Bilateral extension, location within subcortical structures and invasion of deeper white matter sectors were associated with a lower risk (OR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25-0.78; OR 0.10, 95% CI: 0.04-0.21 and OR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.14-0.96, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed the impact of a location within the central lobe on seizure risk to be highly significant and more relevant than histopathology (OR: 4.79, 95% CI: 1.82-14.52, p = .003). Seizures due to tumors within the central lobe differed from those of other locations by lower risk of secondary generalization (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Topographical lobar and gyral location, as well as extent of white matter infiltration impact seizure risk and semiology. This finding may have a high therapeutic potential, for example regarding the use of prophylactic antiepileptic therapy.