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Registration for this year'sRare Disease Day at NIH is now open!
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Registration for this year'sRare Disease Day at NIH is now open!
Questions about rare diseases?
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Questions about rare diseases?
1-888-205-2311

Disease at a Glance

Summary
New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) occurs when a person without a previous history of seizures, experiences status epilepticus (SE) without a clear cause. SE describes a state in which a person has one prolonged seizure, or a cluster of seizures without recovery time in between. The symptoms of NORSE typically begin with a mild fever and general symptoms of illness. People with NORSE may also experience behavioral and cognitive symptoms. SE associated with NORSE can last days, weeks, or months and may lead to a comatose state. A likely cause is identified in about half of all people with NORSE. The most common causes of NORSE include autoimmune disorders, paraneoplastic disorders, and viral encephalitis. Studies indicate that changes in certain genes, including the SCN2A and IL1RN gene(s) may increase the risk to develop NORSE. When the cause cannot be found, cryptogenic NORSE is diagnosed. Most people with cryptogenic NORSE experience a fever prior to seizure development. These cases are classified as a sub-type of NORSE, called Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES). A diagnosis of NORSE is suspected in people who develop SE that does not respond to typical treatment and that does not have an obvious cause. A diagnostic work-up may include brain imaging, cerebrospinal fluid studies, and blood tests. Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to monitor seizures throughout the illness.
Summary
New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) occurs when a person without a previous history of seizures, experiences status epilepticus (SE) without a clear cause. SE describes a state in which a person has one prolonged seizure, or a cluster of seizures without recovery time in between. The symptoms of NORSE typically begin with a mild fever and general symptoms of illness. People with NORSE may also experience behavioral and cognitive symptoms. SE associated with NORSE can last days, weeks, or months and may lead to a comatose state. A likely cause is identified in about half of all people with NORSE. The most common causes of NORSE include autoimmune disorders, paraneoplastic disorders, and viral encephalitis. Studies indicate that changes in certain genes, including the SCN2A and IL1RN gene(s) may increase the risk to develop NORSE. When the cause cannot be found, cryptogenic NORSE is diagnosed. Most people with cryptogenic NORSE experience a fever prior to seizure development. These cases are classified as a sub-type of NORSE, called Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome (FIRES). A diagnosis of NORSE is suspected in people who develop SE that does not respond to typical treatment and that does not have an obvious cause. A diagnostic work-up may include brain imaging, cerebrospinal fluid studies, and blood tests. Electroencephalography (EEG) is used to monitor seizures throughout the illness.
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Resource(s) for Medical Professionals and Scientists on This Disease:
  • Orphanet  provides GARD with information for this disease.

About New-onset refractory status epilepticus

Many rare diseases have limited information. Currently, GARD aims to provide the following information for this disease:

  • Population Estimate:This section is currently indevelopment.
  • Symptoms:May start to appear as an Adult.
  • Cause:GARD does not currently have information about the cause of this disease.
  • Organizations:Patient organizations are available to help find a specialist, or advocacy and support for this specific disease.
  • Categories:Neurological Diseases
When Do Symptoms of New-onset refractory status epilepticus Begin?
Symptoms of this disease may start to appear as an Adult.

The age symptoms may begin to appear differs between diseases. Symptoms may begin in a single age range, or during several age ranges. The symptoms of some diseases may begin at any age. Knowing when symptoms may have appeared can help medical providers find the correct diagnosis.
Prenatal
Before Birth
Newborn
Birth-4 weeks
Infant
1-23 months
Child
2-11 years
Adolescent
12-18 years
Adult Selected
19-65 years
Older Adult
65+ years
Symptoms may start to appear as an Adult.
This information comes from Orphanet

Symptoms

The types of symptoms experienced, and their intensity, may vary among people with this disease. Your experience may be different from others. Consult your health care team for more information.

The following describes the symptom(s) associated with this disease along with the corresponding body system(s), description, synonyms, and frequency (Note: Not all possible symptoms may be listed):
Nervous System Nervous System

27 Symptoms

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Body Systems

Symptoms related to this disease may affect different systems of the body. Use the 'Filter and Sort' function to learn more about which body system(s) are affected by this disease and their associated symptom(s).

Medical Term

Status epilepticus

Frequency
Uncommon
Always
Always
Always
Description

Status epilepticus is a type of prolonged seizure resulting either from the failure of the mechanisms responsible for seizure termination or from the initiation of mechanisms which lead to abnormally prolonged seizures (after time point t1). It is a condition that can have long-term consequences (after time point t2), including neuronal death, neuronal injury, and alteration of neuronal networks, depending on the type and duration of seizures.

Status epilepticus is a type of prolonged seizure resulting either from the failure of the mechanisms responsible for seizure termination or from the initiation of mechanisms which lead to abnormally prolonged seizures (after time point t1). It is a condition that can have long-term consequences (after time point t2), including neuronal death, neuronal injury, and alteration of neuronal networks, depending on the type and duration of seizures.

Synonym

Prolonged seizure; Repeated seizure without recovery; Repeated seizures without recovery between them

Prolonged seizure; Repeated seizure without recovery; Repeated seizures without recovery between them

27 Symptoms
This information comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)

Causes

This section is currently in development. 

Find Your Community

How Can Patient Organizations Help?

Patient organizations can help patients and families connect. They build public awareness of the disease and are a driving force behind research to improve patients' lives. They may offer online and in-person resources to help people live well with their disease. Many collaborate with medical experts and researchers.

Services of patient organizations differ, but may include:

  • Ways to connect to others and share personal stories
  • Easy-to-read information
  • Up-to-date treatment and research information
  • Patient registries
  • Lists of specialists or specialty centers
  • Financial aid and travel resources

Please note: GARD provides organizations for informational purposes only and not as an endorsement of their services. Please contact an organization directly if you have questions about the information or resources it provides.

View GARD's criteria for including patient organizations, which can be found under the FAQs on our About page.

Patient Organizations

8 Organizations

Organization Name

Who They Serve

Helpful Links

Country

Epilepsy Action
People With

New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus

Helpful Links
Country

United Kingdom

Epilepsy Foundation
People With

New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus

Helpful Links
Country

United States

FamilieSCN2A
People With

New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus

Helpful Links
Country

United States

NORSE Institute
People With

New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus

Helpful Links
Country

United States

EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Genetic Alliance
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Global Genes
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

National Organization for Rare Disorders
People With

Rare Diseases

Helpful Links
Country

United States

Participating in Clinical Studies

Clinical studies are part of clinical research and play an important role in medical advances, including for rare diseases. Through clinical studies, researchers may ultimately uncover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose, and understand human diseases.

What Are Clinical Studies?

Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:

  1. Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
  2. Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
Learn more about clinical trials from this U.S. Food & Drug Administration webpage.

Why Participate in Clinical Studies?

People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.

To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.

What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?

ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies  with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.

Join the All of Us Research Program!

The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.

What Are Clinical Studies?

Clinical studies are medical research involving people as participants. There are two main types of clinical studies:
  1. Clinical trials determine if a new test or treatment for a disease is effective and safe by comparing groups receiving different tests/treatments.
  2. Observational studies involve recording changes over time among a specific group of people in their natural settings.
Learn more about clinical trials from this U.S. Food & Drug Administration webpage.
Read More

Why Participate in Clinical Studies?

People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. People with a disease may participate to receive the newest possible treatment and additional care from clinical study staff as well as to help others living with the same or similar disease. Healthy volunteers may participate to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.

To find the right clinical study we recommend you consult your doctors, other trusted medical professionals, and patient organizations. Additionally, you can use ClinicalTrials.gov to search for clinical studies by disease, terms, or location.
Read More

What if There Are No Available Clinical Studies?

ResearchMatch helps connect people interested in research studies  with researchers from top medical centers across the United States. Anyone from the U.S. can register with this free program funded by NIH. Researchers from participating institutions use the database to search for and invite patients or healthy volunteers who meet their study criteria to participate.

Join the All of Us Research Program!

The All of Us Research Program is inviting 1 million people from all backgrounds across the U.S. to help build one of the most diverse health databases in history. Researchers will use the data to learn how our biology, lifestyle, and environment affect health. This may one day help them find ways to treat and prevent diseases.

ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for this disease
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies. 
1-888-205-2311
Available toll-free Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time
(Except: Federal Holidays)
Contact GARD
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.

Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
ClinicalTrials.gov, an affiliate of NIH, provides current information on clinical research studies in the United States and abroad. Talk to a trusted doctor before choosing to participate in any clinical study. We recommend checking this site often and searching for studies with related terms/synonyms to improve results.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for this disease
Contact a GARD Information Specialist if you need help finding more information on this rare disease or available clinical studies. Please note that GARD cannot enroll individuals in clinical studies. 
1-888-205-2311
Available toll-free Monday through Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm Eastern Time
(Except: Federal Holidays)
Contact GARD
Use the contact form to send your questions to a GARD Information Specialist.

Please allow 2 to 10 business days for us to respond.
About the Disease

Learn about symptoms, cause, support, and research for a rare disease. 

Getting a Diagnosis

Take steps toward getting a diagnosis by working with your doctor, finding the right specialists, and coordinating medical care.

Resources and Support

Find resources for patients and caregivers that address the challenges of navigating life with a rare disease.

Getting a Diagnosis

Take steps toward getting a diagnosis by working with your doctor, finding the right specialists, and coordinating medical care.

Last Updated: February 2024