Status epilepticus without impairment of consciousness: Long-term outcomes according to duration.

OBJECTIVE: The point after which non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) can cause permanent damage remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between time to resolution and long-term outcomes in NCSE. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of all patients with focal NCSE without consciousness impairment at two tertiary care hospitals in Spain. All the data were registered prospectively and the study period was December 2014-May 2018. We collected information on demographics, SE etiology, time to administration of different lines of treatment, time to NCSE resolution, and outcomes at discharge, 1 year, and 4 years. Clinical outcome was prospectively categorized as good (return to baseline function) or poor (new disability and death). RESULTS: Seventy-four patients with a mean (±SD) age of 63.4 ±â€¯17.5 years and a mean follow-up time of 2.4 ±â€¯2.2 years were studied. A poor outcome at discharge was associated with a potentially fatal etiology (p < 0.001), EMSE score (Epidemiology-based Mortality Score in Status Epilepticus) (p = 0.012), lateral periodic discharges on EEG (p = 0.034), and occurrence of major complications during hospitalization (p = 0.007). An SE duration of >100 h was clearly associated with a worse outcome (p < 0.001). In the multiple regression analysis, the only independent predictors of a poor outcome at discharge were an SE duration of >+100 hours (p = 0.001), a potentially fatal etiology (p = 0.001), and complications during hospitalization (p = 0.010). An SE duration of >100 hours retained its value as the optimal cutoff point for predicting poor outcomes at both 1 year (p = 0.037) and 4 years (p = 0.05). Other predictors of poor long-term outcomes were a potentially fatal etiology (p < 0.001) and EMSE score (p = 0.034) at 1 year, and progressive symptomatic etiology at 4 years (p = 0.025). SIGNIFICANCE: In patients with focal NCSE without consciousness impairment, a potentially fatal etiology and an SE duration of >100 h were associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes.

How soon should urgent EEG be performed following a first epileptic seizure?

PURPOSE: Patients with a first unprovoked epileptic seizure are often seen in emergency services. Electroencephalography (EEG) is indicated for diagnosing epilepsy, but the optimal time to perform this test has not been defined. This study aimed to determine the time interval following a seizure within which EEG has the greatest diagnostic yield. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of all adult patients with a first unprovoked seizure who had undergone emergency EEG (July 2014-December 2019). Data collection included demographics, seizure type, time interval to EEG study, EEG pattern identified, and the prescription after emergency assessment. An optimal cut-off point for time to EEG was obtained, and an adjusted regression model was performed to establish associations with the presence of epileptiform abnormalities. RESULTS: A total of 170 patients were included (mean age: 50.7 years, 40.6% women). Epileptiform discharges were identified in 34.1% of recordings, nonepileptiform abnormalities in 46.5%, and normal findings in 19.4%. A lower latency from seizure to EEG was associated with a higher probability of finding epileptiform discharges (median: 12.7 in the epileptiform EEGs vs. 20 h in the nonepileptiform EEGs, p < 0.001). The time interval associated with the highest probability of detecting an epileptiform EEG pattern was within the first 16 h after seizure onset: 52.1% of recordings performed before the 16-h cut-off showed these abnormal patterns compared with 20.2% performed after (p < 0.001). These findings were not related to the presence of an epileptogenic lesion in neuroimaging or to other clinical variables. The finding of epileptiform abnormalities was followed by a greater prescription of antiseizure drugs (96.4% vs. 66% in nonepileptiform patterns, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic yield of EEG following a first unprovoked epileptic seizure is highest when this test is performed within the first 16 h after onset of the event.

Characterization, management and treatment of wastewater from white wine production.

During a 16 months period, the characteristics of the wastewaters generated in a Rias Baixas winery (Spain) producing white wine were determined: The characterization study showed that white wine wastewater had an average CODt and TSS values of 7.3 and 5.2 kg/m3, respectively being the ratio wastewater/wine produced of about 1.6-2.0 L/L and the ratio between load pollution and produced wine of 9.7 kg(CODt)/m3(WINE). A strategy for the management of wastes and wastewaters allowed for an important reduction of a 55% of wastewater generation to be achieved. In order to select a suitable technology for the treatment of wastewaters two configurations were tested at pilot scale: i) An Anaerobic Filter (AF) of 430 L followed by an activated sludge unit of 510 L and: ii) one activated sludge unit of 510 L. The results showed that the anaerobic/aerobic configuration was more flexible as it adapted quickly to the different loads and flows produced during the different phases through the year. Besides it allowed higher COD removals (98.5-99.2%) to be achieved and proved to permit a quicker re-start up after starvation periods.