Abstracts

Rationale: Antibiotics have been associated with seizures in adults but this association has not been evaluated in the pediatric population.  Antibiotic use is common during labor and delivery, and is likely transmitted to the newborn.  Due to the permeability of the neonatal blood brain barrier, the association between antibiotic use and seizures may be enhanced. Methods: A retrospective chart reviewed was performed using Colorado Birth certificate data (2007-2015) to assess the relationship between maternal antibiotic use and neonatal seizures in infants (> 32 weeks gestation).  Logistic regression was used to assess bivariate relationships and a purposeful selection modeling strategy was used to determine a final model to account for maternal risk factors for antibiotic use and infant risk factors for seizures.   Results: Antibiotics during labor and delivery were associated with neonatal seizures OR 1.96 (95% CI: 1.4, 2.7) but the association was no longer significant once infant risk factors were added to the model OR 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8, 1.6).  Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), antibiotics given to the infant for suspected sepsis and the presence of congenital abnormalities were significant risk factors for neonatal seizures in the final model while prematurity reduced the risk of neonatal seizures.   Conclusions: Antibiotics given during labor and delivery were associated with an increased risk of seizures in the neonate, but once accounting for both maternal and infant risk factors, there was no longer an association.  Ultimately, infant risk factors had a greater influence on the risk for neonatal seizures than maternal risk factors.   Funding: none