Introduction:

The evidence available in the treatment of refractory status epilepticus (RSE) is limited.

Objective:

Evaluate the clinical and outcome factors in patients with refractory status epilepticus (RSE) according the third line treatment used (midazolam-MDL and/or propofol-PRO).

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study included 34 patients treated by RSE during November 2015 to June 2018.

Variables:

Age, severity and etiology of RSE, pretreatment level of consciousness, anesthetic drugs (MDL-PRO), outcome at hospital discharge and 3 months according Rankin score.

Results:

Mean of age of the patients was 51.21±22.3 years and 32.4% (11) had previous history of epilepsy. Super RSE (SSRE) was diagnosed in 35.3% (12) of sample. Mortality reached up 50% of patients and extended to 55.9% at 3 months. Patients treated with MDL had higher rate of vasopressor needs (71.4% vs 50.0%) and the group who received a scheme of combined treatment MDL-PRO included mainly a SSRE patients (p≤0.01), higher rate of tracheostomy (p=0.03), vasopressor drugs (p=0.01) and diminished dosage of anesthetic drugs (p=0.05). Surveillance analysis according Kaplan Meier curve did not found significant differences at 3 months in survival rate between groups. MDL vs PRO (Log Rank=0. 17), MDL vs MDL-PRO (Log Rank=0. 49) y PRO vs MDL-PRO (Log Rank=0. 48).

Conclusion:

Patients with RSE had a high mortality, without evidence of increase of mortality in groups according anesthetic drugs used and schemed of treatment applied.