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PURPOSE: We conducted a double-blind trial to determine whether a single intramuscular injection of fosphenytoin prevents seizures and neurologic sequelae in children with acute coma. METHODS: We conducted this study at Kilifi District Hospital in coastal Kenya and Kondele Children's Hospital in western Kenya. We recruited children (age, 9 months to 13 years) with acute nontraumatic coma. We administered fosphenytoin (20 phenytoin equivalents/kg) or placebo and examined the prevalence and frequency of clinical seizures and occurrence of neurocognitive sequelae. RESULTS: We recruited 173 children (median age, 2.6 [interquartile range, 1.7-3.7] years) into the study; 110 had cerebral malaria, 8 had bacterial meningitis, and 55 had encephalopathies of unknown etiology. Eighty-five children received fosphenytoin and 88 received placebo. Thirty-three (38%) children who received fosphenytoin had at least 1 seizure compared with 32 (36%) who received placebo (P = .733). Eighteen (21%) and 15 (17%) children died in the fosphenytoin and placebo arms, respectively (P = .489). At 3 months after discharge, 6 (10%) children in the fosphenytoin arm had neurologic sequelae compared with 6 (10%) in the placebo arm (P = .952). CONCLUSION: A single intramuscular injection of fosphenytoin (20 phenytoin equivalents/kg) does not prevent seizures or neurologic deficits in childhood acute nontraumatic coma.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.jcrc.2013.09.001

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Crit Care

Publication Date

12/2013

Volume

28

Pages

1086 - 1092

Keywords

Anticonvulsants, Child, Coma, Prophylaxis, Seizure, Adolescent, Anticonvulsants, Child, Child, Preschool, Coma, Double-Blind Method, Electroencephalography, Female, Humans, Infant, Injections, Intramuscular, Kenya, Male, Phenytoin, Placebos, Seizures, Treatment Outcome