Randomisation and interventions
seizures
Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either VPA or placebo. Randomisation, with stratification according to site, age, and presence of acute brain injury, was performed with the use of a central concealed, Web-based, automated randomisation system. VPA treatment consisted of intravenous administration of a loading dose of 30 mg/kg over 15 min followed by a continuous intravenous dose of 1 mg/kg/h over the next 12 h [In both groups, the anti-epileptic treatment was standardised. If not initiated before ICU admission, the patients had to receive the first- and second-line ASMs before the administration of VPA. More specifically, in patients who had not received a second-line ASM before their admission to the ICU, the second-line ASM was to be administered when the GCSE evolving over 5 to 30 min had required several intravenous boluses of benzodiazepines, or when the seizures were controlled by a single administration of benzodiazepines but beyond 30 min after their onset, as recommended by the 2009 French Expert Guidelines [