A CLINICO-LABORATORY STUDY OF NEONATAL SEIZURES IN SPECIAL CARE BABY UNIT (SCBU) IN ASSIUT UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS

Abstract

Seizures represent the most distinctive signal of neurological disease m the newbom period and these convulsive phenomena are the most frequent of the overt manifestations of neonatal neurological disorders (Volpe, 2001).

Recognition and classification of neonatal se1zures remam problematic, particularly when clinicians rely only on clinical criteria (A.mar et al., 2005).

Seizures in a newbom are one of the few neonatal neurological emergencies where prompt diagnostic and therapeutic plans are necessary; a delay in therapy often results in poor neurological outcome (Scher, 2002).

Seizures during the neonatal period are relatively cmmnon, occurring in approximately 1.8 to 3.5 per 1000 live births, with greater frequency in premature or low birth weight babies as compared to term babies (Mizrahi, 2001).

In the newborn, seizures are always due to an underlying cerebral or biochemical abnonnality (Singh, 1991 ). There is increasing evidence that neonatal seizures have an adverse effect on neurodevelopment and may predispose to cognitive, behavioral or epileptic complications later in life (Levene, 2002).

In the neonatal intensive care unit, the incidence goes as high as 10 to 25% out of which about 15% will die and 35 to 40% will have major neurological sequelae (Pleasure et al., 2002).