Status epilepticus is the most common paediatric neurological emergency in the UK and the second most common reason for unplanned PICU admission in the UK.

Dr Colin Gilhooley defines status epilepticus before discussing the EcLiPSE trial:

Levetiracetam versus phenytoin for second-line treatment of paediatric convulsive status epilepticus (EcLiPSE): a multicentre, open-label, randomised trial

This was a UK wide trial across 30 Emergency Departments (including our own in Nottingham) comparing Phenytoin as the standard 2nd line treatment to Levetiracetam as an alternative with a smaller side effect profile. The result was (spoilers): NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.

Colin take us through the potential consequences of this, how this might change practice as well as what it was like to be involved in the trial and what deferred consent might mean in the future.

The Don’t Forget the Bubbles page on EcLiPSE (and the ConSEPT trial from Australia) can be found here.

Here is our #TakeVisually infographic on Status Epilepticus and EcLiPSE: