TY - JOUR
T1 - The short-term outcome of seizure management by prehospital personnel
T2 - A comparison of two protocols
AU - Galustyan, Sergey G.
AU - Walsh-Kelly, Christine M.
AU - Szewczuga, Del
AU - Bergholte, Jo
AU - Hennes, Halim
PY - 2003/8
Y1 - 2003/8
N2 - Objective: To evaluate the impact of an emergency medical service protocol with reduced diazepam dose on the intubation rate of children with seizure. activity treated by emergency medical service personnel and to evaluate the short-term outcome comparing 2 emergency medical service treatment protocols. Methods: Retrospective review of the emergency medical service and hospital databases of children 0-18 years with seizure activity. Prior to January 1996, the county emergency medical service protocol recommended a diazepam dose of 0.2-0.5 mg/kg iv or pr for termination of seizure activity (group 1). As of January 1996, the diazepam dose was reduced to 0.05-0.1 mg/kg iv or pr (group 2). Demographics, emergency medical service and emergency department interventions, and disposition data were abstracted. Results: 1516 subjects met the enrollment criteria: 1003 (66%) in group 1 and 513 (34%) in group 2. Emergency medical service administered diazepam to 288 subjects: 189 (19%) in group 1 and 99 (19%) in group 2. Twenty (7%) of all treated subjects required intubation: 19 in group 1 and 1 in group 2 (relative risk 9.7, 95% CI 1.30-72.5). Mean diazepam dose was 0.17 mg/kg in group I and 0.13 mg/kg in group 2 (mean difference 0.04, 95% CI 0.02-0.06). No significant difference in the requirement for repeated anticonvulsant dose, complications, or emergency department interventions was noted. However, hospital admission rate was lower in group 2 (rate difference 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.11). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a reduction in intubation rate and a need for hospitalization in the reduced diazepam dose emergency medical service protocol. The reduction in the diazepam dose was effective in terminating the seizure activity and did not increase the risk of adverse events.
AB - Objective: To evaluate the impact of an emergency medical service protocol with reduced diazepam dose on the intubation rate of children with seizure. activity treated by emergency medical service personnel and to evaluate the short-term outcome comparing 2 emergency medical service treatment protocols. Methods: Retrospective review of the emergency medical service and hospital databases of children 0-18 years with seizure activity. Prior to January 1996, the county emergency medical service protocol recommended a diazepam dose of 0.2-0.5 mg/kg iv or pr for termination of seizure activity (group 1). As of January 1996, the diazepam dose was reduced to 0.05-0.1 mg/kg iv or pr (group 2). Demographics, emergency medical service and emergency department interventions, and disposition data were abstracted. Results: 1516 subjects met the enrollment criteria: 1003 (66%) in group 1 and 513 (34%) in group 2. Emergency medical service administered diazepam to 288 subjects: 189 (19%) in group 1 and 99 (19%) in group 2. Twenty (7%) of all treated subjects required intubation: 19 in group 1 and 1 in group 2 (relative risk 9.7, 95% CI 1.30-72.5). Mean diazepam dose was 0.17 mg/kg in group I and 0.13 mg/kg in group 2 (mean difference 0.04, 95% CI 0.02-0.06). No significant difference in the requirement for repeated anticonvulsant dose, complications, or emergency department interventions was noted. However, hospital admission rate was lower in group 2 (rate difference 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.11). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a reduction in intubation rate and a need for hospitalization in the reduced diazepam dose emergency medical service protocol. The reduction in the diazepam dose was effective in terminating the seizure activity and did not increase the risk of adverse events.
KW - Diazepam
KW - Emergency medical service
KW - Outcome
KW - Seizure
KW - Tracheal intubation
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U2 - 10.1097/01.pec.0000086234.54586.49
DO - 10.1097/01.pec.0000086234.54586.49
M3 - Article
C2 - 12972817
AN - SCOPUS:0041467427
SN - 0749-5161
VL - 19
SP - 221
EP - 225
JO - Pediatric emergency care
JF - Pediatric emergency care
IS - 4
ER -