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Abstract

Background: Benign non-familial neonatal seizures (BNFNS) represent a recognized epileptic syndrome that is heterogeneous in its presentation. The objective of this study was to analyze age of onset, electroclinical characteristics, treatment, and progress of patients diagnosed with BNFNS.
Methods: Retrospective study of 40 cases that met inclusion criteria for BNFNS from July 1996 to February 2016.
Results: 40 patients (21 female, 19 male) were examined, with a follow-up of 1 year and 10 months up to 16 years of age. Age of onset: 1–7 days, 30/40 (75%); 8–20 days, 10/40 (25%); mean: 6 days; median: 3.5 days. All patients presented focal clonic seizures (unifocal or alternating; isolated or clustered), and four of them evolved into status epilepticus. Interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) was normal in 37 cases; three showed sharp focal or multifocal waves. An ictal EEG was performed in a patient and initial spike-wave activity was noted in temporal area, which quickly spread to the homologous hemisphere. Phenobarbital was the initial drug in all infants; 10/40 cases required combination with carbamazepine. In their evolution, two patients with a history of status presented intellectual disability; seven children had afebrile seizures in the first year of life; and two patients evolved into focal epilepsy in childhood. Of all the patients, 95% are seizure-free at the moment and do not receive antiepileptic treatment.
Conclusions: In infants with clonic focal seizures, with no history of relevance and normal complementary tests, BNFNS should be considered. Although the majority of . patients evolved favorably, some presented epilepsy and intellectual disability during their follow-up.

Keywords

Neonatal seizures neonatal epileptic syndromes Benign non-familial neonatal seizures

Article Details

Author Biography

Alberto Luis Espeche, Hospital Publico Materno Infantil de Salta

Departemento of Neurology

Hospital Publico Materno Infantil de Salta, Argentina

Head Doctor

How to Cite
Espeche, A. L. (2020). Benign Non-Familial Neonatal Seizure: A study of 40 Argentinian patients. Journal of the International Child Neurology Association, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.17724/jicna.2020.139

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