Electrographic seizure duration and inter‐seizure intervals in focal status epilepticus

Objective To characterize the duration of seizures and inter‐seizure intervals in focal status epilepticus (SE). Methods We reviewed consecutive scalp EEG recordings from adult patients who were admitted for a first episode of focal status epilepticus. We identified electrographic seizure duration and inter‐seizure intervals in the first diagnostic pretreatment EEG. We also reviewed isolated focal self‐limiting seizures in epilepsy patients, as a comparison group for seizure duration. Results We recorded 307 focal seizures in 100 consecutive focal SE episodes, with a median seizure duration of 107 s (IQR: 54–186), and 134 isolated focal self‐limiting seizures in 42 epilepsy patients, with a median duration of 59 s (IQR: 30–90; p