Retrospective Evaluation of Etiological and Prognostic Factors of Neonatal Convulsions

Abstract

Objective: Seizures observed in newborns are a common, challenging to diagnose and treat, high-mortality-rate condition that is associated with a risk of long-term neurodevelopmental disorders. We aimed to determine the causes, characteristics, and prognosis of neonatal seizures. Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 41 cases with a diagnosis of neonatal convulsion were evaluated at the Neonatology Unit of Pamukkale University School of Medicine between January 2015 and 2023. Results: Of the newborns experiencing seizures, 56% were male, and 63.4% were female. Among the cases, 63.4% were born at term, 26.8% were born at 34-37 weeks gestation, and 9.7% were born before 34 weeks gestation. The most common seizure type observed was multifocal clonic seizures (36.5%). The main diagnoses in newborns experiencing seizures were hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (31.7%) and metabolic dis- orders (14.6%). The mortality rate during the average follow-up of 35 ± 9.8 months was 9.7%. Low Apgar score and epilepsy were associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Conclusion: Since HIE and hypoglycemia are the most common causes of neonatal seizures, efforts should be made to improve care during birth and early breastfeeding period.