Benzodiazepines were the first line choice of AEDs in 61% of patients, including 25% of those whose index seizure was status epilepticus. Levetiracetam was the first line choice in another 24% of patients who had no history of seizures.
"This study provides preliminary data that could be used to plan a randomized controlled trial. Seizure recurrence was common enough that it could be a primary outcome measure," the investigators added.
This study was funded by Pfizer under a paid consultant agreement with the New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, through which the investigators conducted their research and wrote their report. Two of the authors were employees of the center at the time of the study. One author reported ties to the Milken Foundation, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, the Epilepsy Study Consortium, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.