To analyze patient follow up measures after admission for status epilepticus and how that impacts patient outcomes.

Status Epilepticus (SE) has high acute mortality and morbidity. However, few studies have looked at outpatient follow-up after SE.

A retrospective analysis was performed of patients admitted with SE between 2014-17 to the neuro-critical care unit of our urban tertiary care center . Patient demographics, SE clinical history, management, discharge outcomes and long-term epilepsy clinic and hospitalization follow up were recorded. Taking into account whether patients followed up in epilepsy clinic vs. re-presentation to the emergency department (inpatient follow up) vs. no follow up.

Total of 192 patients with SE were reviewed. 178 patients were used for follow up analysis (excluding 9 patients who died and 5 patients discharged to hospice). Only 14% of patients (25/178) had follow-up (FU) in clinic, while 43% (76/178) re-presented to the ED and 42% (75/178) did not follow up at all. In patients with FU, known acute etiology was the most common cause (40% in outpatient and 64% in inpatient).  Almost half had history refractory SE (~ 40%) in both cohorts . Median latency to follow-up was 1 month (Interquartile range 3.5 months) for outpatient and 2 months for inpatient. It was found that 72% (18/25) of outpatients and 72% (54/75) of inpatient followups were having persistent seizures at time of follow-up. Mean AEDs for SE admission were 1.32 versus 2.12 on discharge. AEDs on outpatient FU were 2.42. The most commonly used AEDs at discharge and FU were levetiracetam and phenytoin.

We provide a single center retrospective analysis of admissions in SE looking from the lens of follow-up. A minority of patients had outpatient FU after SE suggesting more efforts are needed to ensure appropriate long-term care. Interestingly more patients re-presented to the ED for their follow up care.