Epilepsia
-
Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in a comatose patient cannot be diagnosed without electroencephalography (EEG). In many advanced coma stages, the EEG exhibits continuous or periodic EEG abnormalities, but their causal role in coma remains unclear in many cases. To date there is no consensus on whether to treat NCSE in a comatose patient in order to improve the outcome or to retract from treatment, as these EEG patterns might reflect the end stages of a dying brain. ⋯ Hence coma-LED and coma-GED can be diagnosed with EEG only. Subtle or stuporous status epilepticus and epilepsia partialis continua-like symptoms in severe acute central nervous system (CNS) disorders represent the borderland in this biologic continuum between NCSE proper and comatose NCSE (coma-LED/GED). This pragmatic differentiation could act as a starting point to solve terminologic and factual confusion.