Neonatal Seizures in Very Preterm and Very Low Birthweight Infants: Mortality and Handicaps at Two Years of Age in a Nationwide Cohort*

Abstract

In a nationwide, prospective survey on very preterm and/or very low birthweight infants ( < 32 weeks of gestational age and/or < 1500 g birthweight) we studied the outcome at the corrected age of two years of children with neonatal seizures. Of the 1338 infants, originally enrolled in the study, 72 had neonatal seizures; of these 44 died and 11 developed a major handicap. Using a multivariate statistical method, a significantly increased risk of death as well as handicap was found in infants with seizures compared to infants without seizures. Nevertheless, 16 of the 28 survivors with neonatal seizures were considered normal at the corrected age of two years.