Etiology of the Neonatal Seizures: An Epidemiological Study

Neonatal seizure is a rare neurologic condition. The current study aimed at determining the etiology of neonatal seizure.

The current study evaluated the data of 100 neonates who were hospitalized at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during 2015-2017. A pediatric neurologist made the final diagnosis of seizure. Patients’ medical records were used to review neonatal seizure variables. SPSS (version 16) was used to perform the statistical analyses.

The current study enrolled 100 newborns (41% female) admitted to the NICU following the first episode of seizure and the body temperature of 36.8-39.2°C (mean: 37.2°C). Of 100 participants, 94 (94%) had acute symptomatic seizure and 6 (6%) were compatible with neonatal epilepsy syndrome criteria. According to the results, the commonest etiologies were the neonatal encephalopathy and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy constituting 82% of participants.

The consequences of acute symptomatic seizures in neonates are determined mainly by the etiology of the seizures. Seizure burden and use of anti-seizure drugs may also have some impact, but this has yet to be fully defined.