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Seizure‐like events leading to hospital referrals in infants: A retrospective population‐based study
Author(s) -
Heggstad Norvald,
Hafström Maria
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.15467
Subject(s) - epilepsy , medicine , pediatrics , etiology , population , electroencephalography , incidence (geometry) , epilepsy in children , retrospective cohort study , norwegian , seizure types , epilepsy syndromes , febrile seizure , psychiatry , physics , optics , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health
Aim To identify the aetiology and outcome of seizure‐like events leading to hospital referrals in infants and to identify early predictors of epilepsy and delayed neurodevelopment. Methods This Norwegian population‐based study focused on all children born in Sør‐Trøndelag county, who were up to one year of age in 2014‐2015. They were identified by diagnostic codes for seizure‐like events and electroencephalography (EEG) examinations. Hospital records were examined up to 1.5 years of age. Results The one‐year prevalence of seizure‐like events was 1.5% (114/7430). Epilepsy was diagnosed in 17%, 57% had non‐epileptic paroxysmal events (NEPE), 16% had febrile seizures, and 10% had other acute symptomatic epileptic seizures. Neurodevelopmental delay occurred in 21%. The cumulative incidence was 0.22% for epilepsy and 0.79% for NEPE. Abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging, abnormal first EEGs and neonatal care increased the likelihood of epilepsy and delayed development. Identifying situation‐related factors decreased the epilepsy risk. Occurrence at a younger age increased the risk of delayed development. Absence of unambiguous motor symptoms was less common in epilepsy than in NEPE. Conclusion Seizure‐like events were common in infants and most were not caused by epilepsy. Specific anamnestic clues, and detailed descriptions of the entire event, helped to predict adverse outcomes.