Ictal and interictal electrographic seizure durations in preterm and term neonates.
The effect of gestational age on neonatal ictal and interictal durations has not been investigated. Sixty-eight neonates with 644 electrographic seizures were identified retrospectively. Thirty-five full-term (FT) neonates were compared with 33 preterm (PT) neonates. Eighteen older preterm infants (OPT) [> 31 weeks estimated gestational age (EGA)] were also compared with 15 young preterm infants (YPT) of < or = 31 weeks EGA. Ictal/interictal durations were calculated for the total cohort with and without status epilepticus (SE). Statistical analyses were two-tailed t tests, chi-square calculations, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Duncan's multiple-range test. Eleven of 35 (33%) FT had SE as compared with 3 of 33 (9%) PT (chi-square = 7.8, p < 0.05). The mean ictal duration was 14.2 min for FT infants as compared with 3.1 min for PT infants (p < 0.01); only borderline differences were noted after those with SE were excluded. Interictal durations were longer for OPT than YPT (p < 0.05). By ANOVA and Duncan's multiple-range tests, group differences included longer mean ictal durations for FT infants as compared with OPT infants (p = 0.06, ANOVA; p < 0.05, Duncan's), and longer mean interictal durations for FT infants versus OPT and OPT versus YPT (p = 0.02, ANOVA; p < 0.05, Duncan's). More developed neuronal networks result in longer ictal durations in FT than in PT neonates, including FT infants with SE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Scher
M S
MS
Developmental Neurophysiology Laboratory, Magee-Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3180.
Hamid
M Y
MY
Steppe
D A
DA
Beggarly
M E
ME
Painter
M J
MJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology