AbEEGs can be successfully incorporated in the early evaluation of patients who present to the ER with mental status changes of unknown cause and provide useful information in this setting.

SRSE is associated with high mortality and morbidity, which place a high burden on healthcare resources. Projections based upon the findings of this study suggest an estimated 25,821–41,959 cases of SRSE may occur in the US each year, but more in-depth studies are required.

CEEG monitoring detected seizure activity in 19% of patients, and the seizures were almost always nonconvulsive. Coma, age  18 years, a history of epilepsy, and convulsive seizures prior to monitoring were risk factors for electrographic seizures. Comatose patients frequently required  24 hours of monitoring to detect the first electrographic seizure.

Status epilepticus (SE) treatment strategies vary substantially from one institution to another due to the lack of data to support one treatment over another. To provide guidance for the acute treatment of SE in critically ill patients, the Neurocritical Care Society organized a writing committee to evaluate the literature and develop an evidence-based and expert consensus practice guideline. Literature searches were conducted using PubMed and studies meeting the criteria established by the writing committee were evaluated. Recommendations were developed based on the literature using standardized assessment methods from the American Heart Association and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation systems, as well as expert opinion when sufficient data were lacking.

Patient transfers from community hospitals to larger hubs are often necessary to receive advanced care. These transfers are disruptive to families and costly for the patient and hospital. Diagnosing suspected non-convulsive seizures does not need to be a reason to transfer. New data published by Stanford University has shown that Ceribell EEG obviated the need for transfers in 94% of patients, optimized patient care while keeping families together, and saving thousands of dollars per patient.

NCSE is a common complication of ischemic stroke and is associated with both in-hospital mortality and dependency at the 3-month follow-up. Long-term video EEG monitoring of stroke patients is, therefore required, especially for those with severe consciousness disorders (stupor or coma) or cortical injury.

In patients with central nervous system infections undergoing continuous electroencephalographic monitoring, ESz and/or PEDs were frequent, occurring in 48% of our cohort. More than half of the ESz had no clinical correlate. Both ESz and PEDs were independently associated with poor outcome. Additional studies are needed to determine whether prevention or treatment of these electrographic findings improves outcome.

The EEG data of 87 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were followed up in the intensive care unit were recorded and then analyzed. Abnormal EEG findings were detected in 93.1% of the patients. Epileptiform discharges were seen in 37.9% of the patients. Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) was detected in 5.7% of the patients.

Statistically significant EEG changes were observed in the continuous EEGs of the patients followed up in the intensive care unit due to COVID-19 infection.

Dr. Stephan A. Mayer presents on Cardiac Arrest and Emergency EEG