Continuous EEG monitoring of neonatal seizures: diagnostic and prognostic considerations

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 64; no. 4 Spec No; pp. 452 - 458
• Main Authors: Connell, J, Oozeer, R, de Vries, L, Dubowitz, L M, Dubowitz, V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.04.1989; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain Ischemia - complications; Cerebral Hemorrhage - complications; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy - diagnosis; Epilepsy - etiology; Epilepsy - physiopathology; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Hypoxia, Brain - complications; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Leukomalacia, Periventricular - complications; Medical sciences; Monitoring, Physiologic; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Prognosis; Risk; Human; Premature; Electrodiagnosis; Nervous system diseases; Newborn; Prognosis; Epilepsy; Exploration; Electroencephalography; Diagnosis; Monitoring
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.64.4_Spec_No.452

We recruited 275 full term and preterm infants into a prospective evaluation of continuous four channel electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring in the diagnosis and prognosis of neonatal seizures. EEG seizure activity was found in 55 infants; clinical signs were completely simultaneous in only 12 of these, they were present but limited in another 20, and were completely absent in the remaining 23. EEG seizure activity, with or without clinical signs, were equally associated with serious cerebral lesions and with adverse clinical outcome. The four channel EEG recording provided sufficient data on abnormality to be prognostically specific in 79% of the 43 infants who either died or had serious neurological impairment.