Seizures in preterm infants / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Preterm newborn infants are at risk for cerebral dysfunction and susceptible to seizures in the first weeks of life.Because of less reliable clinical signs,many seizures of preterm neonates are detectable only on electroencephalogram(EEG).Understanding EEG background patterns and features in these preterm infants is vital to provide appropriate treatment.As EEG background activities and patterns significantly depend on gestational age,some physiologic preterm EEG patterns,such as rhythmic temporal theta activity or delta brushes,may be sharply contoured and appear similar to epileptic EEG patterns later in life in preterm infants.Moreover,compared with full-term neonates,ictal patterns in preterm infants are of lower voltage and frequency.This article reviews current incidence of seizures in preterm infants and their typical ictal EEG patterns.It also discusses the influence of seizures on long-term outcome of preterm infants and distinguishes the pitfalls of EEG analysis.