SUBSEQUENT EPILEPSY IN VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS - A LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP-STUDY FROM BIRTH

We studied 197 survivors of 290 very-low-birthweight (VLBW, <1,500 g) infants admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit from 1977 through 1982. The children were all followed until at least age 6 years (mean 10 years 6 months). Eight children (4.1%) had epilepsy: 5 had general ized, 2 had unilateral, and 1 had partial seizures. Two (1.0%) had act ive and poorly controlled epilepsy. Three had a history of epileptic s eizures, but none for greater than or equal to 6 years, and 3 were no longer receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. Most (5 of 8) wer e severely multiply handicapped. As compared with VLBW children withou t epileptic seizures and neurodevelopmental abnormalities, VLBW childr en with epileptic seizures had a gestational age <27 weeks, a weight < 1,000 g, severe perinatal complications as indicated by an Apgar score of <4 at 5 min, and the need for long-term oxygen administration.