Precipitants of convulsive crisis or epilepsy status in adults with controlled epilepsy: emergency room hospital de san José and hospital Infantil Universitario de San José, Bogotá DC. november 2011-may 2012

Factores precipitantes de crisis o estado epiléptico en adultos bajo control en el servicio de urgencias hospitales de San José e Infantil Universitario de San José, Bogotá DC. noviembre 2011-mayo 2012

Purpose: to describe the precipitants of an epileptic crisis or status epilepticus in adults with controlled epilepsy and to determine the socio-demographic and clinical variables. Materials and methods: a descriptive trial including 139 patients aged over 15 years presenting with a convulsive crisis or epilepsy status admitted to the emergency room of  two hospitals in Bogotá DC, was conducted.Results: mean age was 40±20 years (IQR: 22-53), 77% had a focal process and 23% a primary generalized epilepsy; 63% reported at least one precipitant factor. Cessation of anticonvulsant medication (36.3%), sleep deprivation (33%), infection (26.1%), emotional stress (17%), taking a lower dose of anti­ convulsant medication (13.6%), exposure to alcohol (8%), other medication (5.6%), illicit drugs or flickering lights (1.1%) were the most frequently reported precipitants. Conclusions: a high percentage of patients esteem that one or more factors trigger their crisis, with some variations in frequency in our cultural and social context compared with other studies. This must be reckoned with when giving information to patients for behavior interventions may contribute to therapy as to reducing seizure frequency.