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DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1812469
Cefepime-induced encephalopathy: socio-clinical patterns and electroencephalographic findings
Authors
Abstract
Background
Cefepime is an antibiotic widely used for severe infections in hospital . However, its use can lead to encephalopathy, which is detected by electroencephalogram (EEG).
Objective
To establish the socioclinical pattern of cefepime encephalopathy and its correlation with EEG.
Methods
Forty-one medical records of patients diagnosed with cefepime-induced encephalopathy were analyzed according to the criteria established by Naranjo et al.,1 with socioclinical parameters being evaluated.
Results
All EEG tracings in the presence of cefepime-induced encephalopathy had generalized periodic discharges (GPD), and 70.7% of the exams met the criteria for a nonconvulsive status epilepticus. With the withdrawal of cefepime, 85.3% of patients had clinical improvement.
Conclusion
Encephalopathy caused by cefepime is a clinical manifestation that should be considered among patients using this antibiotic, with a wide spectrum of manifestations. The use of EEG imaging is critical for diagnosis.
Authors' Contributions
Conceptualization: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Data curation: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Formal analysis: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Funding acquisition: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Investigation: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Methodology: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Project administration: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Resources: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Software: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Supervision: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Validation: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Visualization: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Writing – original draft: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM; Writing – review & editing: VRPM, LHNM, GMAF, NDA, ARG, VBF, FHM, BGM.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Editor-in-Chief: Hélio A. G. Teive.0000-0003-2305-1073
Associate Editor: Luciano De Paola.0000-0002-0512-610X
Publication History
Received: 07 February 2025
Accepted: 16 August 2025
Article published online:
27 October 2025
© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda.
Rua Rego Freitas, 175, loja 1, República, São Paulo, SP, CEP 01220-010, Brazil
Vitor Roberto Pugliesi Marques, Lúcia Helena Neves Marques, Gerardo Maria de Araujo Filho, Nabila Darido Abdalla, Andressa Regina Galego, Vitor Brumato Fachini, Felipe Henrique Muniz, Breno Gonçalves Medeiros. Cefepime-induced encephalopathy: socio-clinical patterns and electroencephalographic findings. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2025; 83: s00451812469.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1812469
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