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Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice

Received: 19 May 2015     Accepted: 20 May 2015     Published: 17 June 2015
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Abstract

Background: Seizures are common cause of paediatric admissions in poor resource countries and a risk factor for neurodevelopmental impairment. This study aimed to determine the frequency, clinical forms, aetiology and outcome of seizures in relation to rectal temperature in newborn. Patients and Methods: The study was located in paediatric department of our University Hospital. This prospective research had assessed consecutive admitted newborns aged 0-28 days with incident seizure during a period from January to December, 2013. Newborns with epilepsy and non-incident admission seizure were excluded. Results: Seizures were observed in 344/4836 (7.1%). The sample included 192 males and 152 females. The seizures frequency in newborn 0-21 days was 95.9% and was 52.6% in neonates < 1day. The focal seizures were reported in 68% follow by generalized tonic-clonic in 24.4%. Status epilepticus was observed in 7.6%. Seizures had occurred in a context of hypothermia in 77.9%, normal temperature, 14.2% and hyperthermia in 7.8%. The hypothermia and normal temperature seizures were more common in newborn < one week and hyperthermia was noted in older. The associated pathologies in the context of hyperthermia were neonatal infections (17.4%) and falciparum malaria (22.7%) respectively in one week newborn and older. Perinatal ischaemic/hypoxic (35.5%), falciparum malaria (13.6%) and respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis (11.8%) were the main diseases associated with seizures in the context of hypothermia and normal temperature. The aetiologies were marked by neonatal brain injuries and perinatal asphyxia. Sixteen neonates with seizures were died giving a direct mortality rate of 4.7%. Eight (2.3%) surviving newborns had heavy neurodevelopmental deficits at discharge. Conclusion: The neonate seizures are an indicative of infection with or without fever. The causes of newborn convulsions must be prevented through a wide available public health programs.

Published in American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (Volume 3, Issue 5-1)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Neurosciences in Tropical Practice

DOI 10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11
Page(s) 1-4
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Convulsions, Etiologies, Incidence, Neonates, Temperature

References
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    Bahoura Balaka, Komi Assogba, Fidato A. Touglo, Damelan Kombaté, Kossivi M. Apetsè, et al. (2015). Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice. American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 3(5-1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11

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    ACS Style

    Bahoura Balaka; Komi Assogba; Fidato A. Touglo; Damelan Kombaté; Kossivi M. Apetsè, et al. Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice. Am. J. Psychiatry Neurosci. 2015, 3(5-1), 1-4. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11

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    AMA Style

    Bahoura Balaka, Komi Assogba, Fidato A. Touglo, Damelan Kombaté, Kossivi M. Apetsè, et al. Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice. Am J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2015;3(5-1):1-4. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11,
      author = {Bahoura Balaka and Komi Assogba and Fidato A. Touglo and Damelan Kombaté and Kossivi M. Apetsè and Marie C. Ayassou-Madji},
      title = {Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice},
      journal = {American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience},
      volume = {3},
      number = {5-1},
      pages = {1-4},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11},
      abstract = {Background: Seizures are common cause of paediatric admissions in poor resource countries and a risk factor for neurodevelopmental impairment. This study aimed to determine the frequency, clinical forms, aetiology and outcome of seizures in relation to rectal temperature in newborn. Patients and Methods: The study was located in paediatric department of our University Hospital. This prospective research had assessed consecutive admitted newborns aged 0-28 days with incident seizure during a period from January to December, 2013. Newborns with epilepsy and non-incident admission seizure were excluded. Results: Seizures were observed in 344/4836 (7.1%). The sample included 192 males and 152 females. The seizures frequency in newborn 0-21 days was 95.9% and was 52.6% in neonates < 1day. The focal seizures were reported in 68% follow by generalized tonic-clonic in 24.4%. Status epilepticus was observed in 7.6%. Seizures had occurred in a context of hypothermia in 77.9%, normal temperature, 14.2% and hyperthermia in 7.8%. The hypothermia and normal temperature seizures were more common in newborn < one week and hyperthermia was noted in older. The associated pathologies in the context of hyperthermia were neonatal infections (17.4%) and falciparum malaria (22.7%) respectively in one week newborn and older. Perinatal ischaemic/hypoxic (35.5%), falciparum malaria (13.6%) and respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis (11.8%) were the main diseases associated with seizures in the context of hypothermia and normal temperature. The aetiologies were marked by neonatal brain injuries and perinatal asphyxia. Sixteen neonates with seizures were died giving a direct mortality rate of 4.7%. Eight (2.3%) surviving newborns had heavy neurodevelopmental deficits at discharge. Conclusion: The neonate seizures are an indicative of infection with or without fever. The causes of newborn convulsions must be prevented through a wide available public health programs.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Neonatal Seizures: Frequency, Clinical Forms, Aetiology and Outcome in Tropical Practice
    AU  - Bahoura Balaka
    AU  - Komi Assogba
    AU  - Fidato A. Touglo
    AU  - Damelan Kombaté
    AU  - Kossivi M. Apetsè
    AU  - Marie C. Ayassou-Madji
    Y1  - 2015/06/17
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11
    T2  - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
    JF  - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
    JO  - American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 4
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-426X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.s.2015030501.11
    AB  - Background: Seizures are common cause of paediatric admissions in poor resource countries and a risk factor for neurodevelopmental impairment. This study aimed to determine the frequency, clinical forms, aetiology and outcome of seizures in relation to rectal temperature in newborn. Patients and Methods: The study was located in paediatric department of our University Hospital. This prospective research had assessed consecutive admitted newborns aged 0-28 days with incident seizure during a period from January to December, 2013. Newborns with epilepsy and non-incident admission seizure were excluded. Results: Seizures were observed in 344/4836 (7.1%). The sample included 192 males and 152 females. The seizures frequency in newborn 0-21 days was 95.9% and was 52.6% in neonates < 1day. The focal seizures were reported in 68% follow by generalized tonic-clonic in 24.4%. Status epilepticus was observed in 7.6%. Seizures had occurred in a context of hypothermia in 77.9%, normal temperature, 14.2% and hyperthermia in 7.8%. The hypothermia and normal temperature seizures were more common in newborn < one week and hyperthermia was noted in older. The associated pathologies in the context of hyperthermia were neonatal infections (17.4%) and falciparum malaria (22.7%) respectively in one week newborn and older. Perinatal ischaemic/hypoxic (35.5%), falciparum malaria (13.6%) and respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis (11.8%) were the main diseases associated with seizures in the context of hypothermia and normal temperature. The aetiologies were marked by neonatal brain injuries and perinatal asphyxia. Sixteen neonates with seizures were died giving a direct mortality rate of 4.7%. Eight (2.3%) surviving newborns had heavy neurodevelopmental deficits at discharge. Conclusion: The neonate seizures are an indicative of infection with or without fever. The causes of newborn convulsions must be prevented through a wide available public health programs.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 5-1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Neonatology units, paediatrics University Hospital, CHUSO, Lomé, Togo

  • Neurology departments, Campus University Hospital, Lomé, Togo

  • Neonatology units, paediatrics University Hospital, CHUSO, Lomé, Togo

  • Neurology departments, Campus University Hospital, Lomé, Togo

  • Neurology departments, Campus University Hospital, Lomé, Togo

  • Neonatology units, paediatrics University Hospital, CHUSO, Lomé, Togo

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