Seizures in newborns: The missing evidence

Abstract

Although frequent or prolonged acute symptomatic seizures in newborns can be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, this correlation does not establish causality. Identifying reliable postneonatal outcome predictors among the many clinical, EEG and MRI variables reported in clinical studies thus remains challenging. Nevertheless, the cerebrovascular and metabolic effects of seizures are well documented and likely contribute to poor outcomes. Prolonged or frequent seizures, in particular, have shown the strongest association with mortality or disability. However, no consensus exists on what constitutes a high seizure burden in newborns, as clinically meaningful definitions are lacking. Experimental models and clinical studies in neonatal intensive care settings may help address these knowledge gaps. Moreover, additional variables beyond seizure duration and frequency may be required to develop predictive models that support evidence-based and clinically meaningful management changes. In this review, we critically examine these factors to contribute to this ongoing debate in neonatal neurology.

Keywords: Brain injury; Etiology; Neonatal seizures; Outcome; Seizure burden.