Characterisation of neonatal seizures and their treatment using continuous EEG monitoring: a multicentre experience

Janet M Rennie, Linda S de Vries, Mats Blennow, Adrienne Foran, Divyen K Shah, Vicki Livingstone, Alexander C van Huffelen, Sean R Mathieson, Elena Pavlidis, Lauren C Weeke, Mona C Toet, Mikael Finder, Raga Mallika Pinnamaneni, Deirdre M Murray, Anthony C Ryan, William P Marnane, Geraldine B Boylan

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this multicentre study was to describe detailed characteristics of electrographic seizures in a cohort of neonates monitored with multichannel continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) in 6 European centres.

METHODS: Neonates of at least 36 weeks of gestation who required cEEG monitoring for clinical concerns were eligible, and were enrolled prospectively over 2 years from June 2013. Additional retrospective data were available from two centres for January 2011 to February 2014. Clinical data and EEGs were reviewed by expert neurophysiologists through a central server.

RESULTS: Of 214 neonates who had recordings suitable for analysis, EEG seizures were confirmed in 75 (35%). The most common cause was hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (44/75, 59%), followed by metabolic/genetic disorders (16/75, 21%) and stroke (10/75, 13%). The median number of seizures was 24 (IQR 9-51), and the median maximum hourly seizure burden in minutes per hour (MSB) was 21 min (IQR 11-32), with 21 (28%) having status epilepticus defined as MSB>30 min/hour. MSB developed later in neonates with a metabolic/genetic disorder. Over half (112/214, 52%) of the neonates were given at least one antiepileptic drug (AED) and both overtreatment and undertreatment was evident. When EEG monitoring was ongoing, 27 neonates (19%) with no electrographic seizures received AEDs. Fourteen neonates (19%) who did have electrographic seizures during cEEG monitoring did not receive an AED.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that even with access to cEEG monitoring, neonatal seizures are frequent, difficult to recognise and difficult to treat.

OBERSERVATION STUDY NUMBER: NCT02160171.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)F493-F501
JournalArchives of Disease in Childhood Fetal and Neonatal Edition
Volume104
Issue number5
Early online date24 Nov 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2019

Keywords

  • Journal Article
  • neonatology
  • antiepileptic drug
  • EEG
  • seizures
  • clin neurophysiology
  • Seizures/diagnosis
  • Stroke/complications
  • Metabolism, Inborn Errors/complications
  • Electroencephalography/methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Monitoring, Physiologic/methods
  • Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use
  • Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/complications
  • Europe/epidemiology
  • Neurologic Examination/statistics & numerical data
  • Infant, Newborn, Diseases/diagnosis
  • Female
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Cohort Studies

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