Seizures in extremely low birth weight infants are associated with adverse outcome

Current Evidence: Seizures in Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborns (ELGANs)

Extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) are born at or below 28 weeks of gestational age. Despite improved obstetric care, the incidence of preterm birth continues to rise in advanced countries. Preterm birth remains a major cause of infant mortality, and for infants who survive, neonatal seizures are a significant predictor of later neurologic morbidity. However, little is known about risk factors for neonatal seizures in ELGANs. Understanding the association between neonatal seizures and the development of other neurologic disorders is important given the increasing prevalence of ELGANs. Identifying risk factors that contribute to the development of neonatal seizures in ELGANs may offer insights into novel mechanisms of epileptogenesis in the developing brain and improvements in the prevention or treatment of seizures in preterm infants, including ELGANs. In this literature review, we outline the limitations of epidemiologic studies of neonatal seizures in ELGANs and discuss risk factors for neonatal seizures.

Variable Association of Physiologic Changes With Electrographic Seizure-Like Events in Infants Born Preterm

OBJECTIVES

To determine the incidence of seizure-like events in a cohort of infants born preterm as well as the prevalence of associated vital sign changes (heart rate [HR], respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry [SpO2]).

STUDY DESIGN

We performed prospective conventional video electroencephalogram monitoring on infants born at 23-30 weeks of gestational age during the first 4 postnatal days. For detected seizure-like events, simultaneously captured vital sign data were analyzed during the pre-event baseline and during the event. Significant vital sign changes were defined as HR or respiratory rate >±2 SD from the infant's own baseline physiologic mean, derived from a 10-minute interval before the seizure-like event. Significant change in SpO2 was defined as oxygen desaturation during the event with a mean SpO2 <88%.

RESULTS

Our sample included 48 infants with median gestational age of 28 weeks (IQR 26-29) and birth weight of 1125 g (IQR 963-1265). Twelve (25%) infants had seizure-like discharges with a total of 201 events; 83% (10/12) of infants had vital sign changes during these events, and 50% (6/12) had significant vital sign changes during the majority of the seizure-like events. Concurrent HR changes occurred the most frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual infant variability was observed in the prevalence of concurrent vital sign changes with electroencephalographic seizure-like events. Physiologic changes associated with preterm electrographic seizure-like events should be investigated further as a potential biomarker to assess the clinical significance of such events in the preterm population.

Early neurodevelopmental follow-up in the NICHD neonatal research network: Advancing neonatal care and outcomes, opportunities for the future

At the inception of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development Neonatal Research Network (NRN), provision of care for extremely preterm (EPT) infants was considered experimental. The NRN Follow-up Study Group, initiated in 1993, developed infrastructure with certification processes and standards, allowing the NRN to assess 2-year outcomes for EPT and to provide important metrics for randomized clinical trials. This chapter will review the NRN Follow-up Study Group's contributions to understanding factors related to improved neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes of EPT infants. We will also discuss follow up challenges, including reassessing which outcomes are most meaningful for parents and investigators. Finally, we will explore how outcome studies have informed clinical decisions and ethical considerations, given limitations of prediction of complex later childhood outcomes from early neurodevelopmental findings.

Newborns at high risk for brain injury: the role of the amplitude-integrated electroencephalography

OBJECTIVE

Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is a simplified bedside neurophysiology tool that has been implemented in the neonatal intensive care unit and studied in an extensive range of clinical applications in the past decade. This critical review aimed to evaluate a variety of clinical applications of aEEG monitoring in diagnosis, clinical management, and prognosis assessment in critically ill neonates.

SOURCES

The databases of Pubmed, SciELO, Lilacs, and Cochrane, books, and other online resources were consulted, as well as sources of professional experiences.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The clinical use of aEEG to access real-time brain function, background activity, and utility in seizures detection has been described. A critical review was realized considering the authors' professional experience. Newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and seizures screening represent the most common studied population. However, several studies have shown interesting applications on preterm infants, newborns with congenital heart disease, and other clinical situations of high risk of injury to the developing brain.

CONCLUSION

The aEEG has shown to be a useful non-invasive bedside monitor that aids in evaluating brain function, background activity, and cyclicity. aEEG findings have also demonstrated good prognostic value in a group of critically ill neonates. The aEEG seizure diagnosis capability has limitations, which have been already well established. The use of neonatal brain monitoring such as aEEG was shown to give valuable information in several high-risk clinical situations.

Cerebral gray matter injuries in infants with intraventricular hemorrhage

While intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) predominantly damages the periventricular white matter, it induces substantial injury to the cerebral gray matter. IVH destroys the germinal matrix, suppresses neurogenesis, and disrupts corticogenesis, thereby reducing the number of neurons in the upper cortical layer and volume of the cerebral gray matter. The pathogenesis of gray matter injury is attributed to IVH-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and mass effect damaging the germinal matrix as well as to post-hemorrhagic ventricular dilation (PHVD). The IVH-induced cerebral gray matter injury and PHVD contribute to cognitive deficits and neurobehavioral disorders. Neuroimaging has enhanced our understanding of cerebral gray matter injury and is a valuable predictor of neurodevelopmental outcomes. Evidence from therapies tested in preclinical models and clinical trials suggests that strategies to promote neurogenesis, reduce cerebral inflammation and oxidative stress, and remove blood clots from the ventricles might enhance the outcome of these infants. This review offers an integrated view of new insights into the mechanisms underlying gray matter injury in premature infants with IVH and highlights the imminent therapies to restore neurodevelopmental dysfunction in IVH survivors.

Seizure burden in preterm infants and smaller brain volume at term-equivalent age

BACKGROUND

Seizures are underrecognized in preterm infants, and little is known about their impact on brain growth. We aimed to define the association between early seizures and subsequent brain growth.

METHODS

Infants <30 weeks gestation underwent 72 h of prospective amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) monitoring, term-equivalent age (TEA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 2-year neurodevelopmental testing. Seizures were defined as trains of sharp waves >10 s, evolving in frequency/amplitude/morphology, and identified using automated algorithms with manual review. Using T2-weighted images, cortical surface area (CSA) and gyrification index (GI) were calculated and volumes were segmented into five tissue classes: cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, white matter (WM), deep nuclear gray matter, and cerebellum. Correlations between total seizure burden and tissue-specific volumes were evaluated, controlling for clinical variables of interest.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine infants underwent aEEG/MRI assessments (mean GA = 26.3 weeks, birthweight = 899 g). Seizure incidence was 55% with a median of two events; median length = 66 s and mean burden = 285 s. Greater seizure burden was associated with smaller CSA and volumes across all tissue types, most prominently in WM (R2 = -0.603, p < 0.01), even after controlling for confounders. There was no association with GI.

CONCLUSIONS

Seizures in preterm infants are common and associated with smaller TEA brain volumes. This relationship was strongest for WM and independent of clinical factors.

IMPACT

Seizures in preterm infants are common. Little is known about the association between early seizures and later brain growth. Greater seizure burden is linked with smaller volumes of all brain tissue types, most prominently the WM. This relationship is true even controlling for other factors. Additional study is needed to identify the optimal EEG monitoring and seizure treatment strategy for improved brain growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Risk Factors for Periventricular Leukomalacia in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and GRADE-Based Assessment of Certainty of Evidence

BACKGROUND

We analyzed the certainty of evidence (CoE) for risk factors of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) in preterm neonates, a common morbidity of prematurity.

METHODS

Medline, CENTRAL, Embase, and CINAHL were searched. Cohort and case-control studies and randomised randomized controlled trials were included. Data extraction was performed in duplicate. A random random-effects meta-analysis was utilizedused. CoE was evaluated as per Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty-six studies evaluating 95 risk factors for PVL were included. Of the 2,509,507 neonates assessed, 16,569 were diagnosed with PVL. Intraventricular hemorrhage [adjusted odds ratio: 3.22 (2.52-4.12)] had moderate CoE for its association with PVL. Other factors such as hypocarbia, chorioamnionitis, PPROM >48 hour, multifetal pregnancy reduction, antenatal indomethacin, lack of antenatal steroids, perinatal asphyxia, ventilation, shock/hypotension, patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgical ligation, late-onset circulatory collapse, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and neonatal surgery showed significant association with PVL after adjustment for confounders (CoE: very low to low). Amongst the risk factors associated with mother placental fetal (MPF) triad, there was paucity of literature related to genetic predisposition and defective placentation. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the strength of association between invasive ventilation and PVL decreased over time (P < 0.01), suggesting progress in ventilation strategies. Limited studies had evaluated diffuse PVL.

CONCLUSION

Despite decades of research, our findings indicate that the CoE is low to very low for most of the commonly attributed risk factors of PVL. Future studies should evaluate genetic predisposition and defective placentation in the MPF triad contributing to PVL. Studies evaluating exclusively diffuse PVL are warranted.

Clinical manifestations of neonatal seizures

Neonatal seizures present a unique diagnostic challenge with clinical manifestations often subtle or absent to the bedside observer. Seizures can be overdiagnosed in newborns with unusual paroxysmal movements and underdiagnosed in newborns without clinical signs of seizures. Electroclinical "uncoupling" also adds to the diagnostic challenge. Reliable diagnosis requires additional tools; continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring is the gold standard for diagnosis of neonatal seizures. Certain high-risk neonatal populations with known brain injury, such as stroke or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, are most likely to benefit from continuous EEG. Studies have shown that risk stratification for continuous EEG has positive impact on care, including rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment of neonatal seizures, which leads to reduced use of antiseizure medicines and length of hospital stay. This review describes common clinical manifestations of neonatal seizures, and clinical situations in which EEG monitoring to screen for seizures should be considered.

Neonatal Seizures and Future Epilepsy: Predictive Value of Perinatal Risk Factors, Electroencephalography, and Imaging

Context

There are limited data in the literature about the relationship between neonatal seizures and subsequent epilepsy.

Aims

This study aimed to identify the predictive value of perinatal factors, etiologies, electroencephalography (EEG), and cranial ultrasonography (USG) for future epilepsy after neonatal seizures.

Materials and Methods

A total of 92 children with epilepsy who had seizures during their neonatal period were retrospectively evaluated whether the contribution of perinatal, natal, and postnatal risk factors confining clinical, laboratory, EEG, and imaging to subsequent epilepsy. Chi-square, uni, and multivariate logistic regression were applied to find out predictive factors for subsequent epilepsy.

Results

The rate of epilepsy was 57.6 % during 1-6 years follow-up. Birth weight, Apgar scores at first and fifth minutes, resuscitation history, abnormal neurological examination, etiology, response to the treatment, abnormal EEG, or USG findings were the most important risk factors for future epilepsy in univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Furthermore, asphyxia, fifth minute Apgar scores, response to the treatment, USG, and EEG were independent predictors (P < 0.05) for subsequent epilepsy in multivariate logistic regression. No relationship was found between subsequent epilepsy and mode of delivery, seizure onset time, and seizure types (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Although there are recent promising and advanced techniques in neonatal intensive care units, asphyxia is still one of the most important risk factors for not only poor neurological conditions but also for future epilepsy after neonatal seizures. Apgar scores, treatment with multiple antiepileptic drugs, poor background EEG activity, and abnormal neuroimaging seem to have strong predictive values for developing subsequent epilepsy. Therefore, patients with a history of neonatal seizures should be closely followed up to decrease the risk of long-term outcomes and early detection of epilepsy.

Seizures in Pre-term Infants Less than 29 Weeks: Incidence, Etiology, and Response to Treatment

INTRODUCTION

Seizures are neurological emergencies with short-and long-term adverse effects in pre-term infants. They may present with or without abnormal movements (clinical versus subclinical). Thus, the true incidence of seizures may be under-reported. Current research indicates that most seizures occur in the first few days of life, are associated with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and show low response to anticonvulsant drugs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate incidence, etiology, clinical antecedents, mortality, and response to treatment of seizures in extremely pre-term infants.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of pre-term infants < 29 weeks gestation from January 2011 to December 2013. Presence or absence of seizure was the outcome. Data extraction included demographics, medications, co-morbidities, mortality, and details of seizures. A multivariable prediction model was developed to evaluate risk for seizures.

RESULTS

Analysis included 269 pre-term infants. Incidence of EEG-confirmed seizures was 40% (108/269); 49% were clinical and 51% were subclinical. Seizures occurred in 72% of infants ≤ 24 weeks, 57% of those 25-26 weeks, and 23% of those 27-28 weeks. Most seizures (85%) occurred after day eight of life. Mortality was 14% in those with seizures versus 5% in those without (p = 0.019). The model showed seizures were associated significantly with gestational age and medications, while controlling for sex, APGAR score, and co-morbidities, including IVH. At discharge, anticonvulsants were continued in 66% (72/108) of infants with seizures.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of seizures was highest in infants born most premature. Contrary to previous research, nearly two-thirds of pre-term infants with seizures did not have IVH or cystic periventricular leukomalacia; apnea of prematurity was a common presentation of subclinical seizures; and the majority of treated infants responded to Phenobarbital. These findings need be explored in future research.

Risk Factors for Seizures and Epilepsy in Children With Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVES

To identify potential risk factors for pre- and postoperative seizures and epilepsy in children with congenital heart disease.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of neonates and infants <3 months of age with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass from November 24, 2006, until June 1, 2015. Children with seizures were classified based on time of occurrence into early preoperative, early postoperative, and late postoperative. Children with recurring seizures 30 days after cardiac surgery met criteria for epilepsy.

RESULTS

247 patients completed follow-up; 2.4% had seizures early preoperation and 1.6% early postoperation. Late postoperative epilepsy occurred in 5.3% of the cohort. The majority of seizures in the late postoperative epilepsy group started after 1 year of age (mean 1.53 years, range = 0.18-4.7 years). One of the 13 patients with epilepsy had a seizure during their intensive care unit hospitalization. Potential risk factors for seizures included brain injury (P < .001), high-risk surgery (Society of Thoracic Surgeons-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery score ≥3, P = .024), and low birth weight (P < .04). Infants with stroke were more likely to develop epilepsy (P = .04). Presence of seizures was associated with increased length of stay (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests an association between children with congenital heart disease diagnosed with stroke in the neonatal/infancy period and the development of epilepsy. These children may not have prior early pre- and postoperative seizures. Risk factors for seizures include brain injury, high-risk surgery, and lower birth weight. Seizures were associated with an increased length of stay but did not necessarily lead to subsequent epilepsy.

Neonatal seizures in the U.S. National Inpatient Population: Prevalence and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Seizures are the most frequent neurological manifestation in neonates. Prevalence of neonatal seizures has not been well described in relationship with gestational age (GA). Also, the impact of seizures on neonatal mortality has not been quantified. This study aims to determine 1) prevalence of neonatal seizures in all GA groups, 2) associated mortality in each GA group and 3) impact of seizures on length of stay (LOS) of survivors in each GA group.

METHODS

Data from the national Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) for the years 2006, 2009 and 2012 was used in the study. All admitted infants with a documented GA were included in the study. All categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square test, continuous variables were analyzed using t-test, and logistic regression analysis used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

A total of 10, 572,209 infants were included, of whom 4400 infants (0.04%) had seizures. The highest prevalence was at 24 weeks (0.12%). Overall mortality rate of patients with seizures was 4% with OR = 2.24 (95% CI = 1.90-2.65, p < 0.001). The correlation of seizure with mortality was significant after 33 weeks GA with greatest impact at 33-36 weeks GA (OR = 46.38 (95% CI = 26.86-80.08, p < 0.001). Seizures were associated with increased median LOS from 2 to 4 days (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of seizures varies according to gestational age ranging from 0.02% to 0.12%. The highest prevalence is at 24 weeks GA. The greatest impact for seizures on mortality is at 33-36 weeks GA.

Association Between Neonatal Seizures and Social-Emotional Development and Adaptive Behavior in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

AIM

To evaluate social-emotional development and adaptive behavioral outcomes in a cohort of extremely low birth weight infants with a confirmed diagnosis of neonatal seizures.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of preterm infants weighing ≤1000 g at birth, with a diagnosis of neonatal seizures, evaluated between 21 and 31 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley-III) in a longitudinal neurodevelopmental follow-up program. Seizures were diagnosed using continuous video electroencephalography interpreted by a pediatric neurologist.

RESULTS

Nineteen infants meeting criteria were included and were matched with 38 control subjects, without clinical signs of seizures, and similar baseline characteristics. Multivariate analysis revealed significantly lower social-emotional development (-14.8 points; P = .05) and adaptive behavior scores (-10.8 points; P < .01) on the Bayley III in children with seizures compared to controls without clinical signs of seizure.Interpretation: Seizures are associated with impaired adaptive behavior and social-emotional development in this cohort of extremely low birth weight infants. These results highlight the negative association between neonatal seizures and functional development.

Neonatal seizures in preterm infants: A systematic review of mortality risk and neurological outcomes from studies in the 2000's

INTRODUCTION

Neonatal seizures (NS) are associated with increased mortality and risk of cerebral palsy, epilepsy and intellectual disability. We performed a systematic review with the primary objective to delineate the rate of these outcomes following NS in preterm infants from studies published in the 2000's and the secondary objective to identify risk factors.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria: original articles published between 1/1/2000 and 12/31/2018, written in English, evaluating newborns ≤37 weeks of gestational age and suffering from NS, in which at least one of these was evaluated: epilepsy, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability/developmental delay, normal outcome, death.

RESULTS

Twenty-two papers were selected and all were observational, with a retrospective design in 15. Three were population-based and twenty-one have a comparison. It has been found a 22-80 % of mortality, 11.3-38.9 % of epilepsy, 12-84.6 % of cerebral palsy, and 20-42.7 % of intellectual disability/developmental delay rate. An increased risk for all outcomes considered was reported. Risk factors for specific outcomes were provided by a minority of studies. However, inclusion criteria, definition of NS and measured outcomes, follow-up lengths differed considerably between studies.

DISCUSSION

Results of the selected studies are only partially comparable or generalizable because of differences in study design. They have a risk for potential biases, although they provide (if analyzed) readily available prognostic factors, easy to apply in clinical practice. Prospective, population-based studies with EEG-defined NS are warranted in order to produce evidence-based guidance for management of preterm newborns with seizures.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 9-14 months gestational age after treatment of neonatal seizures due to brain injury

PURPOSE

Infants with brain injury are susceptible to developmental delays. Survivors of neonatal seizures are at risk for developmental delay, epilepsy, and further neurological comorbidities. Despite advances in neonatal critical care, the prevalence of adverse long-term outcomes and seizure recurrence remains unchanged. Our goal is to determine if early treatment of neonatal seizures with phenobarbital or levetiracetam is associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes in brain-injured infants.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 119 infants admitted between 2013 and 2017 who were at risk for developmental delay and assessed in our clinic. We compared brain injury infants with neonatal seizures to brain injury infants without neonatal seizures using Bayley scores (BSID III) at 9-14 months gestational age. A comparison of Bayley scores between those exposed to phenobarbital and levetiracetam was conducted.

RESULTS

Twenty-two children with neonatal seizures scored lower than 53 children without seizures in all domains with significant values in composite scores for cognitive function (p = 0.003) and language (p = 0.031). We found no difference in scores at 9-14 months between infants exposed to phenobarbital versus levetiracetam.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that in infants with brain injury, the occurrence of neonatal seizures has an adverse effect on neurodevelopmental outcomes. The choice of antiseizure medication may not play a significant role in their outcomes.

Providing clarity around ethical discussion: development of a neonatal intervention score

AIM

To develop a Neonatal Intervention Score (NIS) to describe the clinical trajectory of a neonate throughout their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission.

METHODS

The NIS was developed by modifying the Neonatal Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (NTISS) to reflect illness severity, dependency on life-sustaining interventions and overall life trajectory on a longitudinal basis, rather than illness burden. Validity for longitudinal use within the NICU was tested by calculating the score for 99 preterm babies born less than 28 weeks at predetermined time points throughout their admission to tertiary level care at two institutions.

RESULTS

A total of 1333 NISs were analysed, ranging from 0 to 32.5 (mean 9.77, SD 5.4). Internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) reached 0.8. NIS moderately correlated to both SNAPPE-II and SNAP-II (Spearman's rho = 0.47, p =< 0.001) within the first 24 hours.

CONCLUSION

The NIS is a useful and reliable descriptive tool of relative illness severity and degree of medical interventions throughout a baby's admission. Integrating a longitudinal description of medical dependency of a patient may assist both clinical and ethical decision-making and empirical research by providing an objective account of a baby's clinical trajectory. Establishment of validity within individual institutions is required.

Independent role of neonatal seizures in subsequent neurological outcomes: a population-based study

AIM

This population-based study aimed to estimate the impact of neonatal seizures on subsequent neurological outcomes, regardless of underlying etiology.

METHOD

We performed a retrospective cohort study (1st January 2009-31st December 2014), using a USA nationwide claims database. Newborn infants enrolled in 2009 were followed for up to 6 years. Neonatal seizures were identified by combining the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code of 779.0 (convulsions in newborn), procedure codes of electroencephalogram and brain imaging, and antiepileptic drugs claims. Cox regression models were built to estimate the independent impact of neonatal seizures on developing epilepsy, intellectual disability, psychiatric/behavioral disorders, and headache.

RESULTS

Out of 490 071 newborn infants (251 850 males [51.4%], 238 221 females [48.6%]), 800 neonatal seizure cases were identified. After controlling for sex, birthweight, preterm birth status, and underlying etiology, neonates with seizures were more likely to have epilepsy (hazard ratio=32.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]=27.7-38.7; p<0.001), intellectual disability (hazard ratio=2.0; 95% CI=1.8-2.3; p<0.001), and headache (hazard ratio=1.6; 95% CI=1.1-2.2; p=0.013) than those without seizures.

INTERPRETATION

Observed covariates being equal, seizures in neonates appeared to play a significant role in developing epilepsy, intellectual disability, and headache. The findings showed a detrimental impact of the event in the very early life on neurological outcomes in later life.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Seizures had their own impact on the development of adverse neurological outcomes. The magnitude of impact was quite large in epilepsy.

Outcome in preterm infants with seizures

Most neonatal seizures in preterm newborns are of acute symptomatic origin with a prevalence higher than in full-term infants. To date, recommendations for management of seizures in preterm newborns are scarce and do not differ from those in full-term newborns. Mortality in preterm newborns with seizures has significantly declined over the last decades, from figures of 84%-94% in the 1970s and 1980s to 22%-45% in the last years. However, mortality is significantly higher in those with a birth weight<1000g and a gestational age<28 weeks. Seizures are a strong predictor of unfavorable outcomes, including not only cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and intellectual disability, but also vision, hearing impairment, and microcephaly. The majority of patients with developmental delay are severely affected and this is usually associated with cerebral palsy. Furthermore, the incidence of epilepsy after neonatal seizures seems to be lower in preterm than in full-term infants but the risk is approximately 40 times greater than in the general population. Clinical studies cannot disentangle the specific and independent contributions of seizure-induced functional changes and the role of etiology and brain damage severity in determining the long-term outcomes in these newborns.

Symptomatic seizures in preterm newborns: a review on clinical features and prognosis

Neonatal seizures are the most common neurological event in newborns, showing higher prevalence in preterm than in full-term infants. In the majority of cases they represent acute symptomatic phenomena, the main etiologies being intraventricular haemorrhage, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, central nervous system infections and transient metabolic derangements.Current definition of neonatal seizures requires detection of paroxysmal EEG-changes, and in preterm newborns the incidence of electrographic-only seizures seems to be particularly high, further stressing the crucial role of electroencephalogram monitoring in this population. Imaging work-up includes an integration of serial cranial ultrasound and brain magnetic resonance at term-equivalent age. Unfavourable outcomes following seizures in preterm infants include death, neurodevelopmental impairment, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing and visual impairment. As experimental evidence suggests a detrimental role of seizures per se in determining subsequent outcome, they should be promptly treated with the aim to reduce seizure burden and long-term disabilities. However, neonatal seizures show low response to conventional anticonvulsant drugs, and this is even more evident in preterm newborns, due to intrinsic developmental factors. As a consequence, as literature does not provide any specific guidelines, due to the lack of robust evidence, off-label medications are often administered in clinical practice.

Outcomes After Acute Symptomatic Seizures in Children Admitted to a Neonatal Neurocritical Care Service

BACKGROUND

Neonatal seizures due to acute brain injury are associated with high rates of death, disability, and epilepsy. Our objective was to examine incidence of and risk factors for epilepsy among survivors of acute symptomatic neonatal seizures who were cared for by a neonatal neurocritical care service.

METHODS

Neonates with acute symptomatic seizures who were admitted to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Neuro-Intensive Care Nursery from July 2008 to June 2014 were considered for inclusion.

RESULTS

A total of 144 children with acute symptomatic seizures met study criteria and 37 (26%) died before age one. Eighty-seven children (85% of eligible survivors) were followed up to one year or longer. Epilepsy was diagnosed in eight children at median age 4.9 (interquartile range 1.7, 6.1) years. The cumulative incidence risk of epilepsy at one year was 2% (95% confidence interval 0.6% to 9%) and at five years was 7% (95% confidence interval 3% to 20%). Cerebral palsy was diagnosed in 21%. Bayley-III cognitive subscale less than 85 was present in 13%. Children with epilepsy were more likely to be preterm, have brain injury, and be discharged home on antiseizure medication, although the results were not significant after adjusted analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of epilepsy was lower and age at onset was older than in previous reports, which may be related to multiple factors including a neurocritical care approach, treatment of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy with hypothermia, high rate of neonatal transition to palliative care, and the exclusion of neonatal onset epilepsies. Continuation of antiseizure medications in infancy did not decrease the risk of epilepsy. Long-term, multicenter studies are needed to understand whether neonatal seizure management can alter the risk of epilepsy.

Outcomes after acute symptomatic seizures in neonates

Acute symptomatic seizures are a common sign of neurological dysfunction and brain injury in neonates and occur in approximately one to three per 1000 live births. Seizures in neonates are usually a sign of underlying brain injury and, as such, are commonly associated with adverse outcomes. Neurological morbidities in survivors often co-occur; epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability often occur together in the most severely affected children. Risk factors for adverse outcome include prematurity, low Apgar scores, low pH on the first day of life, seizure onset <24 or >72 h after birth, abnormal neonatal neurological examination, abnormal neonatal electroencephalographic background, status epilepticus, and presence and pattern of brain injury (particularly deep gray or brainstem injury). Despite this list of potential indicators, accurate prediction of outcome in a given child remains challenging. There is great need for long-term, multicenter studies to examine risk factors for, and pathogenesis of, adverse outcomes following acute symptomatic seizures in neonates.

Long term electroencephalography in preterm neonates: Safety and quality of electrode types

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to compare gold cup and hydrogel electrodes for frequency of electrode replacement, longevity of the original electrodes after initial placement, recording quality, and skin safety issues in long-term EEG studies in preterm neonates.

METHODS

We performed a prospective trial with newborns born at ≥23 weeks and ≤30 weeks of gestational age (GA). Two mirror image EEG electrode arrays were utilized on consecutive subjects, where gold cup electrodes alternated with hydrogel electrodes.

RESULTS

Our sample included 50 neonates with mean GA of 27 (±1) weeks. The mean recording time was 84 (±15) hours. No difference was present in the frequency of replacement of either type across the total recording time (p = 0.8). We collected the time at which electrodes were first replaced, and found that hydrogel electrodes showed a longer uninterrupted recording time of 28(±2) hours vs. 20(±2) hours for gold cup electrodes (p = 0.01). Recording quality was similar in either type (p = 0.2). None of the patients experienced significant skin irritation from a discrete electrode.

CONCLUSION

Long-term EEG studies can be performed with either gold cup or hydrogel electrodes, validating the safety and quality of both electrode types.

SIGNIFICANCE

Hydrogel electrodes are a reasonable alternative for use in long-term EEG studies in preterm neonates.

Rhythmic EEG patterns in extremely preterm infants: Classification and association with brain injury and outcome

•

Most rhythmic EEG patterns in extremely preterm infants related to head position.

•

Clear ictal discharges were only observed in one out of 77 infants (1.3%).

•

PEDs were prevalent, but their significance is not known.

•

PEDs were not related to brain injury or poor cognition.

Objective

Classify rhythmic EEG patterns in extremely preterm infants and relate these to brain injury and outcome.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 77 infants born <28 weeks gestational age (GA) who had a 2-channel EEG during the first 72 h after birth. Patterns detected by the BrainZ seizure detection algorithm were categorized: ictal discharges, periodic epileptiform discharges (PEDs) and other waveforms. Brain injury was assessed with sequential cranial ultrasound (cUS) and MRI at term-equivalent age. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed with the BSITD-III (2 years) and WPPSI-III-NL (5 years).

Results

Rhythmic patterns were observed in 62.3% (ictal 1.3%, PEDs 44%, other waveforms 86.3%) with multiple patterns in 36.4%. Ictal discharges were only observed in one and excluded from further analyses. The EEG location of the other waveforms (p < 0.05), but not PEDs (p = 0.238), was significantly associated with head position. No relation was found between the median total duration of each pattern and injury on cUS and MRI or cognition at 2 and 5 years.

Conclusions

Clear ictal discharges are rare in extremely preterm infants. PEDs are common but their significance is unclear. Rhythmic waveforms related to head position are likely artefacts.

Significance

Rhythmic EEG patterns may have a different significance in extremely preterm infants.

Electrographic Seizures during the Early Postnatal Period in Preterm Infants

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the frequency and characteristics of electrographic seizures in preterm infants in the early postnatal period.

STUDY DESIGN

Infants <32 weeks gestational age (GA) (n = 120) were enrolled for continuous multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) recording initiated as soon as possible after birth and continued for approximately up to 72 hours of age. Electrographic seizures were identified visually, annotated, and analyzed. Quantitative descriptors of the temporal evolution of seizures, including total seizure burden, seizure duration, and maximum seizure burden, were calculated.

RESULTS

Median GA was 28.9 weeks (IQR, 26.6-30.3 weeks) and median birth weight was 1125 g (IQR, 848-1440 g). Six infants (5%; 95% CI, 1.9-10.6%) had electrographic seizures. Median total seizure burden, seizure duration, and maximum seizure burden were 40.3 minutes (IQR, 5.0-117.5 minutes), 49.6 seconds (IQR, 43.4-76.6 seconds), and 10.8 minutes/hour (IQR, 1.6-20.2 minutes/hour), respectively. Seizure burden was highest in 2 infants with significant abnormalities on neuroimaging.

CONCLUSION

Electrographic seizures are infrequent within the first few days of birth in very preterm infants. Seizures in this population are difficult to detect accurately without continuous multichannel EEG monitoring.

Early High-Dose Caffeine Increases Seizure Burden in Extremely Preterm Neonates: A Preliminary Study

Background: Although evidence suggests that methylxanthines may lower the seizure threshold, the effect of high-dose caffeine on seizure burden in preterm infants is not known. This study reports a secondary post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial of early high-dose caffeine citrate therapy in preterm infants, evaluating the effect of caffeine on the seizure burden using amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG). Methods: Seventy-four preterm infants (≤30 weeks gestation) were randomized to receive high-dose (n = 37, 80 mg/kg over 36 hours) or standard-dose (n = 37, 30 mg/kg over 36 hours) caffeine citrate over the first 36 hours followed by standard maintenance therapy. Simultaneous recording of two-channel amplitude-integrated EEG was conducted over the first 72 hours of life. The primary outcome of this post hoc analysis was cumulative seizure burden over the first 72 hours of life, measured in seconds. Results: Fifteen infants were excluded due to short recordings (≤5 hours) or corrupted data files (n = 7 standard dose; n = 8 high dose). The high-dose caffeine group displayed a trend toward an increased incidence of seizures (40% vs. 58%; p = 0.1) and a threefold increase in seizure duration (48.9 vs. 170.9 seconds; p = 0.1). Conclusion: Early high-dose caffeine therapy was associated with a trend toward an increase in seizure incidence and burden. Future studies of alternative caffeine dosing regimens should include continuous EEG monitoring.

Neonatal seizures in preterm newborns: A predictive model for outcome

BACKGROUND

With a reported prevalence of 22.2%, seizures in preterm newborns represent an emergent challenge, because they are often related to adverse outcome. The electroclinical features of preterm infants with neonatal seizures were evaluated in order to predict outcome.

METHODS

From 154 newborns with video-EEG confirmed neonatal seizures admitted to Parma University Hospital between January 1999 and December 2012, we collected 76 preterm newborns with neonatal seizures. Outcome was assessed at least at one year. Student t-test for unpaired data was used to compare means of continuous variables. We applied the χ(2) test to compare nominal data between preterm newborns with favorable versus adverse outcome, and between those with seizures versus those with status epilepticus. Then we determined the independent risk factors for adverse outcome with multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Birth weight, Apgar at 1st minute, neurologic examination, EEG, US brain scans and the presence of neonatal status epilepticus were different between preterm newborns with favorable and adverse outcome (p ≤ .049). Furthermore, birth weight, seizure onset, neurologic examination and EEG were different between the group with or without status (p ≤ .031). None of the infants with status epilepticus had a favorable outcome compared to 22.3% of those with neonatal seizures (p = .004). We also identified a predictive model that correctly classified outcome in 85.5% of subjects, with a high sensitivity for adverse outcome (>91.5%).

CONCLUSION

The presence of neonatal seizures in preterm newborns is highly related to an adverse outcome that can be predicted since the first days of life.

High Risk Infants Follow-Up: A Case Study in Iran

Background. A follow-up program for high risk infants was initiated in Alzahra Maternity Hospital in Tabriz city, Iran, in 2013. The aim of this paper is to give a brief report of the program. Material and Methods. Two groups of high risk neonates were studied. The first group comprising 509 infants received services in Alzahra Maternity Hospital implemented by the follow-up program. This included a full package for family to look after high risk infant and periodic clinical evaluation at two and four weeks after birth and then two, three, four, five, and six months later again. The second group including 131 infants in Taleqani Maternity Hospital received routine services after birth with no specific follow-up care. Results. Some anthropometric indices showed a significant improvement in the intervention hospital compared to control group. These included the following: head circumference at first and second months; weight in the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth months; and height in sixth month only. Clinical evaluation of infants showed an improvement for some of the medical conditions. Conclusion. Follow-up care program for a minimum of six months after discharge from maternity hospitals may help to avoid adverse and life threatening consequences in high risk infants.

Neurodevelopmental outcome after extreme prematurity: a review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Advances in obstetric and neonatal medical care and assisted reproductive technology have increased the rates of preterm birth, decreased preterm mortality rates, and lowered the limit of viability. However, morbidity in survivors, including neurodevelopmental disabilities, has increased, especially in extremely preterm infants born at ≤25 weeks' gestation. A better understanding of the prevalence and patterns of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely preterm infants is important for patient care, counseling of families, and research.

METHODS

The PubMed and Ovid Medline databases were searched for full text articles published between 1999 and 2013 in English that reported neurodevelopmental outcomes after extreme prematurity, and a review of identified relevant cohort studies was performed.

RESULTS

Extreme prematurity of 22 to 25 weeks' gestation is associated with an overall high mortality of ≥50%. High rates (17% to 59%) of severe neurodevelopmental disabilities occur among survivors on short-term follow-up. The rates of surviving unimpaired or minimally impaired are 6% to 20% for live-born infants at ≤25 weeks' gestation and <5% for infants born at 22 and 23 weeks' gestation. Long-term adverse outcomes after extreme prematurity include intellectual disability (5% to 36%), cerebral palsy (9% to 18%), blindness (0.7% to 9%), and deafness (2% to 4%). Milder degrees of disability involving cognition, behavior, and learning are increasingly recognized among older preterm children, teens, and young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Infants who are born at ≤25 weeks' gestation, especially those born at 22 and 23 weeks' gestation, have a very low likelihood of surviving little or no impairment. Nearly half of surviving extremely premature infants have significant neurodevelopmental disabilities on short- and long-term follow-up. Instituting early intervention programs, providing family support, and establishing special educational school programs can pay high dividends and lead to brighter futures and, hence, help improve neurodevelopmental outcome of preterm infants.

Epilepsy after neonatal seizures: literature review

INTRODUCTION

Acute neonatal seizures are the most frequent neurological complication in the neonatal intensive care units and the seizing newborns have an increased risk of long-term morbidity. However, the relationship between neonatal seizures and the development of epilepsy later in life is still unclear.

METHODS

We performed a literature review using the search terms "neonatal seizures AND outcome", "neonatal seizures AND epilepsy", "neonatal seizures AND post-neonatal epilepsy", including secondary sources of data such as reference lists of articles reviewed. From the studies in which data were available, the incidence of epilepsy was calculated by dividing the number of all subjects who developed epilepsy in the different studies considered with the number of all newborns enrolled to the studies less the number of patients lost at follow-up.

RESULTS

We found 44 studies published between 1954 and 2013, of which 4 were population-based studies and the remaining were hospital-based case series. The overall population evaluated was 4538 newborns and 17.9% developed post-neonatal epilepsy, with an onset within the first year of life in 68.5% of the patients. In 80.7%, epilepsy was associated with other neurological impairments.

CONCLUSION

Estimates on epilepsy after neonatal seizures vary widely depending on selection criteria and length of the follow-up. However, it represents a common outcome of these newborns, especially in those with severe brain injury and additional neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Pharmacologic Management of Neonatal Seizures

Seizures are most often the only sign of a central nervous dysfunction in the neonate. Neonatal seizures are a symptom of a specific disease entity. The search for a cause of neonatal seizures should focus on perinatal history or acute metabolic changes in the neonate. There are four classifications of neonatal seizures: clonic, tonic, myoclonic, and subtle. Simultaneous electroencephalogram and video recording are tools to assist the practitioner in the evaluation of difficult-to-assess subtle behaviors. Although many seizures may be prevented by careful attention to metabolic changes and the neonate's overall condition, those that cannot be prevented may require pharmacologic treatment. First-generation antiepileptic drugs such as phenobarbital and phenytoin are still the first and second lines of therapy, even as questions concerning their limited clinical effectiveness and concern for potential neurotoxicity continue.

Recent advances in neonatal seizures

Neonatal seizures are the most important indicators of underlying brain injury. Seizures in a neonate are different from seizures in older children in many aspects including clinical presentation and etiology. The neonatal brain is immature and tends to have a decreased seizure threshold. Neonatal seizures are classified, based on their presentation as, clinical seizures, electroclinical seizures and electroencephalographic seizures; based on the pathophysiology as epileptic and nonepileptic seizures; and also on the basis of the etiology. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is the leading cause of neonatal seizures, followed by intracranial hemorrhage, metabolic causes such as hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia, intracranial infections and strokes. Neonatal epilepsy syndromes are rare. Electroencephalography (EEG) is the gold standard for diagnosis. Amplitude integrated EEG (aEEG) is also used for continuous monitoring. The approach to management consists of initial stabilization of the neonate followed by treatment of potentially correctable injurious processes such as hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia and electrolyte disturbances, etiology specific therapies and antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. Phenobarbital remains the first line AED therapy. Pharmacokinetic data on newer drugs is limited. Prognosis depends on the etiology, seizure type, neurological examination at discharge and EEG. Long term neurodevelopmental follow up is essential for babies with neonatal seizures.

Advances in management of neonatal seizures

Seizures are more common in the neonatal period than any other time in the human lifespan. A high index of suspicion for seizures should be maintained for infants who present with encephalopathy soon after birth, have had a stroke, central nervous system (CNS) infection or intracranial hemorrhage or have a genetic or metabolic condition associated with CNS malformations. Complicating the matter, most neonatal seizures lack a clinical correlate with only subtle autonomic changes and often no clinical indication at all. Over the last three decades, several tools have been developed to enhance the detection and treatment of neonatal seizures. The use of electroencephalography (EEG) and the later development of amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG), allows for Neurologists and non-Neurologists alike, to significantly increase the sensitivity of seizure detection. When applied to the appropriate clinical setting, time to diagnosis and start of therapy is greatly reduced. Phenobarbital maintains the status of first-line therapy in worldwide use. However, newer anti-epileptic agents such as, levetiracetam, bumetanide, and topiramate are increasingly being applied to the neonatal population, offering the potential for seizure treatment with a significantly better side-effect profile. Seizures in premature infants, continue to confound clinicians and researchers alike. Though the apparent seizure burden is significant and there is an association between seizures and adverse outcomes, the two are not cleanly correlated. Compounding the issue, GABA-ergic anti-epileptic drugs are not only less effective in this age group due to reversed neuronal ion gradients but may cause harm. Selecting an appropriate treatment group remains a challenge.

Early electrographic seizures, brain injury, and neurodevelopmental risk in the very preterm infant

BACKGROUND

Previous studies of very preterm (VPT) infants have shown a wide range of seizure prevalence and association with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), white matter injury (WMI), and death. However, the impact of seizures on neurodevelopment is not well known. We hypothesized that seizures in the first 3 d after VPT birth would be associated with increased radiographic brain injury and later neurodevelopmental risk.

METHODS

For 72 h after birth, 95 VPT infants underwent amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram monitoring. High and low seizure burdens were related to radiographic brain injury, death in the neonatal period, and children's Bayley III (Bayley Scales of Infant Development) performance at 2 y corrected age in a subgroup of 59 infants.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of seizures in this sample was 48%. High seizure burden was associated with increased risk of IVH on day 1; IVH, WMI, and death on day 2; and high-grade IVH on day 3. The presence of seizures on any day was associated with decreased language performance at age 2, even after controlling for family social risk.

CONCLUSION

Seizures during the first 3 d after birth are common and are associated with an increased risk of IVH, WMI, and death. They were also associated with poorer early language development.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants

Survival of extremely preterm infants has improved since 2000. Neurodevelopmental impairment rates remain high at the limits of viability. Although improved survival and neurodevelopmental impairment rates are associated with higher gestational age and more recent year of birth, significant variability in findings among geographic areas and networks is evident, and seems related to differences in population, management style, regional protocols, definitions, and outcome assessments. Outcome studies during adolescence and young adult age are needed to determine the long-term impact of extremely preterm birth.

Fault and blame, insults to the perinatal brain may be remote from time of birth

There is a certainty in malpractice cases that neurodevelopmental deficits are caused by preventable events at birth when the onset, nature, and timing of the insult in the antenatal and natal period are unknown. The biggest problem is determining timing. Electronic fetal monitoring is given excessive importance in legal cases. Before assigning fault on events at birth, a better understanding of developmental neurobiology and limitations of the present clinical biomarkers is warranted. The issues of single versus repeated episodes, timing of antenatal insults, pros and cons of legal arguments, interaction of various etiologic and anatomic factors are discussed.

Treatment of neonatal seizures

Seizures occur more often during the neonatal period than at any other period of life. Precise incidence is difficult to delineate and depends on study population and criteria used for diagnosis of seizures. Controversy exists as to whether neonatal seizures themselves cause damage to the developing brain, or if the damage is primarily due to the underlying cause of the seizures. As a result of this controversy there is an ongoing discussion as to whether all seizures (both clinical and subclinical) should be treated. When (sub)clinical seizures are treated, there is no consensus about the most appropriate treatment for neonatal seizures and how to assess the efficacy of treatment. Current therapeutic options to treat neonatal seizures (i.e. primarily first generation antiepileptics) are relatively ineffective. There is an urgent need for prospective, randomized, controlled trials for efficacy and safety of these second-generation antiepileptic drugs in neonates. The aim of this review is to survey current knowledge regarding treatment of neonatal seizures in both term and preterm infants.

Outcome following neonatal seizures

Neonatal seizures are the most common manifestation of neurological disorders in the newborn period and an important determinant of outcome. Overall, for babies born at full term, mortality following seizures has improved in the last decade, typical current mortality rates being 10% (range: 7-16%), down from 33% in reports from the 1990s. By contrast, the prevalence of adverse neurodevelopmental sequelae remains relatively stable, typically 46% (range: 27-55%). The strongest predictors of outcome are the underlying cause, together with the background electroencephalographic activity. In preterm babies, for whom the outlook tends to be worse as background mortality and disability are high, seizures are frequently associated with serious underlying brain injury and therefore subsequent impairments. When attempting to define the prognosis for a baby with neonatal seizures, we propose a pathway involving history, examination, and careful consideration of all available results (ideally including brain magnetic resonance imaging) and the response to treatment before synthesizing the best estimate of risk to be conveyed to the family.

An overview of risk factors for poor neurodevelopmental outcome associated with prematurity

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. While advances in medical care have improved the survival of preterm infants, neurodevelopmental problems persist in this population. This article aims to review factors associated with their neurodevelopmental outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

English language studies of neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants were retrieved from PubMed. A total of 100 related publications were included.

RESULTS

Early gestational age and birth weight are the most significant predictors of poor long-term neurological outcome. Structural changes of the brain, infection, male gender and neonatal intensive care unit course are also important factors affecting eventual outcome. Other complex biological and socio-economic factors, which extend from prenatal through postnatal periods, up through and including adulthood, also affect the trajectory of brain development in preterm infants.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurodevelopmental problems continue to affect the preterm population. There is a critical need for collaboration among geneticists, obstetricians, pediatricians, and neuroimaging and rehabilitation experts to determine early predictive factors and neuroprotective therapies to properly treat or prevent poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in these infants.

Early single-channel aEEG/EEG predicts outcome in very preterm infants

Aim

To characterize early amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) and single-channel EEG (aEEG/EEG) in very preterm (VPT) infants for prediction of long-term outcome.

Patients

Forty-nine infants with median (range) gestational age of 25 (22–30) weeks.

Methods

Amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram/EEG recorded during the first 72 h and analysed over 0–12, 12–24, 24–48 and 48–72 h, for background pattern, sleep–wake cycling, seizures, interburst intervals (IBI) and interburst percentage (IB%). In total, 2614 h of single-channel EEG examined for seizures. Survivors were assessed at 2 years corrected age with a neurological examination and Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. Poor outcome was defined as death or survival with neurodevelopmental impairment. Good outcome was defined as survival without impairment.

Results

Thirty infants had good outcome. Poor outcome (n = 19) was associated with depressed aEEG/EEG already during the first 12 h (p = 0.023), and with prolonged IBI and higher IB% at 24 h. Seizures were present in 43% of the infants and associated with intraventricular haemorrhages but not with outcome. Best predictors of poor outcome were burst-suppression pattern [76% correctly predicted; positive predictive value (PPV) 63%, negative predictive value (NPV) 91%], IBI > 6 sec (74% correctly predicted; PPV 67%, NPV 79%) and IB% > 55% at 24 h age (79% correctly predicted; PPV 72%, NPV 80%). In 35 infants with normal cerebral ultrasound during the first 3 days, outcome was correctly predicted in 82% by IB% (PPV 82%, NPV 83%).

Conclusion

Long-term outcome can be predicted by aEEG/EEG with 75–80% accuracy already at 24 postnatal hours in VPT infants, also in infants with no early indication of brain injury.

Risk factors for isolated periventricular leukomalacia

Periventricular leukomalacia, a major cause of neurologic disabilities in preterm infants, can be isolated or associated with intraventricular and periventricular hemorrhage. To determine the risk factors for isolated periventricular leukomalacia, we retrospectively studied the characteristics of all very low birth weight infants affected by isolated periventricular leukomalacia who were delivered over a 5-year period and compared them with a control group of very low birth weight infants, matched within 2 weeks for gestational age, with no central nervous system pathology, and born during the same period. In total, 20 affected infants were compared with 98 control infants. Neonatal sepsis caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (P = 0.014) and neonatal seizure (P = 0.026) were associated with isolated periventricular leukomalacia only on univariate analysis. Three variables demonstrated statistically significant associations with isolated periventricular leukomalacia on both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis as independent risk factors: birth weight (odds ratio, 4.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-12.06; P = 0.005), early neonatal hypotension requiring combined inotropic therapy (odds ratio, 4.90; 95% confidence interval; 1.22-19.68, P = 0.025), and delayed surgical closure of hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus beyond age 7 days (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.35; P = 0.003).

Gray matter volume decrements in preterm children with periventricular leukomalacia

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is the prototypic lesion in the encephalopathy of prematurity. Although PVL is identified by targeting cerebral white matter (WM), neuropathological and MRI studies document gray matter (GM) loss in cortical and subcortical structures. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of GM changes in children with a history of premature birth and PVL. Voxel-based morphometry was used to examine regional GM abnormalities in 22 children with a history of preterm birth and PVL. Preterms with PVL were compared with 22 terms and 14 preterms without PVL of similar GA and birth weight. GM and WM global volumetric volumes were found to decrease in comparison with both control groups. Regional GM volume abnormalities were also found: compared with their term peers, preterm children with PVL showed several regions of GM reduction. Moreover, PVL differed from preterms without PVL in the medial temporal lobe bilaterally, thalamus bilaterally, and caudate nuclei bilaterally. In addition, in our preterm sample with PVL, birth weight showed a statistical significant correlation with decreased GM regions. In conclusion, the voxel-based morphometry methodology revealed that PVL per se does involve GM reductions.