Clinical outcomes in patients with generalized periodic discharges

Purpose Generalized periodic discharges (GPDs) are frequently identified in the EEGs of hospitalized patients but their prognostic significance remains unclear. We retrospectively reviewed clinical data in patients with GPDs to elucidate factors associated with in-hospital mortality. Method We reviewed data from inpatients at three different hospitals affiliated with our institution in whom GPDs were reported on routine EEGs by fellowship-trained electroencephalographers during the years 2010–2012. Cox regression was used to determine statistical association between in-hospital death and demographics, medical comorbidities, neurological and neuroimaging abnormalities and antiepileptic drug use. Results We identified 113 patients with GPDs. The mean age was 70.4 years and 70 (61.9%) were women. There were 60 inpatient deaths (53.1%). The variables significantly associated with in-hospital mortality were dementia, poor mental status at the time of the EEG, chronic focal abnormalities on neuroimaging, cardiac arrest and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Conclusion Dementia, poor mental status during EEG, chronic focal abnormalities on neuroimaging, cardiac arrest and COPD are independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients with GPDs (P < 0.05).