title: Neonatal seizures: aetiology by means of a standardized work-up.
abstract: Neonatal seizures are an alarming symptom and are frequent in neonates. It is important to find the cause of neonatal seizures to start a specific treatment and to give a meaningful prognosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of different aetiologies of neonatal seizures in our hospital by a specific work-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  All full-term born neonates from January 2002 till September 2009 with neonatal seizures, admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit were included (n = 221). Aetiology was investigated by means of a standardized aetiologic work-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of aetiologies of neonatal seizures were: hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (n = 119; 53.9%), metabolic or electrolyte disorders (n = 24; 10.9%), intracranial hemorrhage (n = 20; 9.0%), ischemic infarction (n = 16; 7.2%), intracranial infections (n = 14; 6.3%), congenital malformations of the central nervous system (n = 7; 3.2%), inborn errors of metabolism (n = 5; 2.3%), epileptic syndromes (n = 1; 0.5%), HIE + hypoglycemia (n = 4; 1.8%), HIE + intracranial hemorrhage (n = 3; 1.4%), HIE + ischemic infarction (n = 1; 0.5%), ischemic infarction + intracranial hemorrhage (n = 1; 0.5%), idiopathic (n = 4, 1.8%), intoxications (n = 1; 0.5%) and unknown (n = 1; 0.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our work-up is a practical tool to find the aetiology of neonatal seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annemiek M W
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Loman
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: ter Horst
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Florise A C P
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Lambrechtsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 EZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.j.lunsing@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Roelineke J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lunsing
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000150:complications; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Aetiology; Neonatal seizures; Work-up