Temporal Trends and Regional Variations in Mortality of Adults With Status Epilepticus in the United States

OBJECTIVES: With an incidence of 18.3-41 per 1,000 people in the United States, status epilepticus (SE) can frequently result in death. We aimed to investigate the mortality trends in SE in the United States stratified by age groups, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region. METHODS: We retrieved data from the CDC-WONDER database for adults aged ≥25 years. Crude rates (CRs) and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons were calculated. We estimated the annual percent change (APC) in mortality rates to identify trends using ioinpoint regression. RESULTS: From 1999 to 2020, a total of 32,174 SE-related deaths were recorded in adults, 83.7% of which occurred in medical facilities. The AAMR displayed a period of stability from 1999 to 2007, followed by an increase until 2020. We observed the highest CRs among adults ≥65 years. Men showed higher AAMRs than women. Non-Hispanic (NH) Black people had the highest AAMR and the greatest rise in mortality, followed by NH Whites and Hispanics or Latinos. The South displayed the highest AAMR of all regions. DISCUSSION: SE-related mortality in adults has been rising with notable disparities. Addressing racial disparities and tailoring management strategies for high-risk groups are critical to curb SE.