Abstracts

Rationale: Although neonatal seizures have a high mortality rate and cause neurodevelopmetal disabilities and epilepsy as aftereffect, the use of anti-epileptic drug is limited and the prognosis of the drug is unidentified. Thus, authors investigate the prognosis of the childhood patients who suffer from neonatal seizure through number of administered anti-epileptic drugs and electroencephalography. Methods: Retrospective medical record analysis that aimed at 37 childhood patients under 44 weeks of gestational age (18 males, 19 females, 13 full-term infants, 24 pre-term infants) who were hospitalized at neonatal intensive care unit in Seoul St. Mary' Hospital from January to June 2012 and suffered from neonatal seizure was performed. Results: The average gestational age of the 37 childhood patients is 32.5±1.9 weeks and the average birth weight is 2010±82 grams. The seizures were occurred within 7 days of birth. In particular, a great number was occurred from 48 hours to 7 days (38%) and subtle seizures were most common type (51%). 94% of target childhood patients (35 patients) showed abnormal findings and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is highest as 62% (23 patients). In electroencephalography, 62% showed abnormal findings and above middle is 54% (20 patients) and above severe is 8% (3 patients). Further, 19% (7 patients) had been showed abnormal findings in electroencephalography after 6 months. Among 37 of patients, 57% (21 patients) were able to meditate seizures by levetiracetam, but 19% (7 patients) were cured by coadministration of more three of anti-epileptic drugs. After 6 months of treatment, epilepsy 6% (2 patients) and developmental delay 86% (6 patients) are occurred to patients who were able to meditate by one type of anti-epileptic drugs. On the other hand, epilepsy 29% (2 patients) and developmental delay 86% (6 patients) are occurred to patients with more than 3 types of anti-epileptic drugs. Moreover, 86% (12 patients) of patients with normal finding in electroencephalography show normal developments but, there is no normal development in 3 patients with severe abnormalities. Conclusions: If the number of anti-epileptic drugs is increased due to the uncontrolled seizures in the early stage of neonatal seizures and the result of electroencephalography shows above severe opinion, neurological outcome is not particularly good.