[Neonatal convulsions in health care. II. Prognostic factors].

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether neonatal convulsions make up a homogeneous pathological group when it comes to establishing indices of prognosis.

DESIGN

Descriptive study of retrospective cohorts.

SCOPE

Twenty five cases of neonatal convulsions out of the 12,427 new born babies in the province of Albacete in the period 1991-1993 and the follow-up of their development up to December 1994.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Univariant analysis (variable dependent evolution; variable independent: type of crisis identified, interictal clinical features, EEG pattern and cerebral Eco-CT/MR) and multivariant analysis using a maximal logistic regression model.

RESULTS

I. Univariant analysis. Type of crisis: we found differences between the types of crises presented (clonic, focal tonic, myoclonic, subtile with apnea, with no obvious crisis) and the prognosis, but no significant result. Neurological findings between crises: the RN who showed no change in consciousness following the convulsion had a better prognosis than those with changes in the level of consciousness between crises. The difference was significant (P = 0.03). Post-critic EEG pattern. The RN with a normal or a focal EEG were grouped together as opposed to those who showed alterations which were multifocal, had changes in the basic rhythm, were paroxysmal or of low voltage; the first type of EEG indicated the best prognosis (OR = 12.0; IC 95%; 1.1-159.5; p = 0.2). Radiodiagnosis: the RN with no changes on Eco or CT-RM had better prognoses (p > 0.001) than those with pathological ones. None had pathological sequelae (OR = 0.0). II. Multivariant analysis. The final method only retained the variable Rx (Radiodiagnosis) which implied that the other variables lost significance when corrected for association with Rx (p < 0.001) OR = 0.0.

DISCUSSION

Although the clinical and EEG findings are indicators of prognosis, they lose their significance when correction is made for the underlying cerebral damage. The cause of the convulsions and the associated underlying cerebral lesion is the most important factor in determining the final outcome.