Article published by Healio
Treatment with ketamine significantly improved seizure occurrence related to refractory status epilepticus in both neonates and children, according to results of a study published in Neurology.
“Many children with status epilepticus have persistent seizures despite administration of at least two appropriately dosed antiseizure medications,” Marin Jacobwitz, CRNP, of the department of pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues wrote. “Ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist, may be a beneficial alternative anesthetic.”
Researchers sought to determine the safety and efficacy of ketamine as a therapeutic for refractory status epilepticus (RSE) in children and neonates.
Results showed that ketamine infusion was followed by seizure termination in 32 patients, seizure reduction in 19 patients and no change in 18 patients. Data also revealed three patients had adverse events requiring intervention during or within 12 hours of ketamine administration, including hypertension in two patients and delirium in one patient.