title: Mortality risk after neonatal seizures in very preterm newborns.
abstract: We analyzed clinical and instrumental data of 403 consecutive newborns with gestational age from 24 to 32 weeks, admitted to the University-Hospital of Parma between January 2000 and December 2007, to evaluate the possible relationship between neonatal mortality and occurrence of neonatal seizures in very preterm newborns. Seventy-four subjects died during hospital stay. Seizures were present in 35 neonates, in whom the mortality rate was 37.1%. Multivariate analysis revealed that birth-weight <1000 g (odds ratio: 4.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.47-13.68; P < .01), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (odds ratio: 5.35; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-23.98; P = .02), and moderately and severely abnormal cerebral ultrasound scan findings (odds ratio: 2.48; 95% confidence interval: 1.02-6.05; P < .04; odds ratio: 9.56; 95% confidence interval: 3.45-26.51; P < .01, respectively) were related to the in-hospital mortality but not the presence of neonatal seizures. Our study suggests that neonatal seizures alone are not an independent risk factor for early death in very preterm newborns.
authors.affiliation: Child Neuropsychiatric Unit, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, Parma, Italy. francesco.pisani@unipr.i
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Copioli
authors.forename: Emanuela Claudia
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sisti
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cossu
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seri
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000401:mortality*