Clinical Characteristics with Risk Factors for Term Neonatal Seizures / 대한소아신경학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Neonatal seizures reflect neurologic disorders, affecting neonatal morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, risk factors for seizures in term infants have been less well defined. We studied risk factors and clinical manifestations associated with term neonatal seizures. METHODS: We used retrospective case-control frequency matching study. We not only identified risk factors for term neonatal seizures, but also analyzed day of seizure onset, seizure types, findings of EEG and neuroimagings, and response to treatment. RESULTS: Our data showed that asphyxia is the most important risk factor for neonatal seizures in term infants. We could not find the relationship between the maternal risk factors and the risk of term neonatal seizures. Days of seizure onset were diverse. The seizures caused by asphyxia occurred earlier, of which 90% did within the first 48 hours. Various types of seizures were observed of which subtle seizures were the most common type in neonatal asphyxia. EEG was diagnostically available. However, it did not provide critical evidence to predict prognosis of their seizures. Neuroimaging studies were not helpful for the clinical diagnosis. Term infants with seizures who used antiepileptic drugs showed effective responses in managing seizures. There were no sustained seizures in 48 % of all cases who used phenobarbital only. CONCLUSION: We confirmed neonatal asphyxia is the most important risk factor for term neonatal seizures. Other risk factors are required to be further evaluated. We should identify and establish etiologic risk factors for term neonatal seizures particularly following neonatal asphyxia, and challenge to predict seizure onset and manage presumed seizures in advance.