The newborn with seizures -- a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sequelae of neonatal seizures in a cohort of newborns, recruited over a six month period. DESIGN: Prospective hospital based study. SETTING: The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 135 babies were recruited of whom 10 died and 25 were lost to follow up. METHODS: The cases were followed up over four months. RESULTS: 68% of the babies followed up were normal; 32% had an abnormal neurological outcome. Seven (7%) developed post-neonatal epilepsy. Hypocalcemia was significantly associated with mortality (OR: 21.9; 95% CI: 1.2-391.2). No risk factors could be identified for post neonatal epilepsy. Presence of spike waves in the EEG was significantly related to abnormal neurological outcome (OR: 3.5; 95% C.I. 1.2-10.8). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of neonates with seizures have a normal outcome with no developmental delay or neurological deficit. Predominantly spike waves in the EEG is predictive of abnormal neurological outcome.

Hypomelanosis of Ito with cerebral malformation.

Syndromic forms of cortical maldevelopment continue to be a curiosity. Hypomelanosis of Ito (HI) is the presence of whirled hypochromic skin lesions often associated with nondermatological manifestations. The polymorphism of brain abnormalities associated with HI is well known. We report three cases of Hypomelanosis of Ito, occuring in infants and associated with cerebral malformation.

Callosal agenesis and Open lip Schizencephaly.

We report a case of a new born who presented with neonatal seizures; and who had coexistence of a Corpus Callosum Agenesis with a bilateral Open lip Schizencephaly and a Dandy Walker malformation. The investigations for an underlying etiology, however was futile.