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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2007;297:2686.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

A study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is designed to determine which of the 2 drugs commonly prescribed to treat status epilepticus in children is safer and more effective. Status epilepticus affects up to 8 in 1000 children before they reach age 15 years and is fatal in 4% of cases.

The study will be conducted at 11 hospitals in which children presenting to the emergency departments with status epilepticus will be randomly assigned to either diazepam or lorazepam (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/study_pediatric_seizure_QA_052207.cfm). Diazepam is approved for use in adults and children while lorazepam is approved for adults but is being used off label for children.

As status epilepticus must be treated within 5 minutes of presentation in the emergency department to minimize the risk of brain injury or death, consent from a parent to enroll a child in the study will be . . . [Full Text of this Article]