Early posttraumatic seizures in non-accidental head injury: relation to outcome

To document the characteristics of early posttraumatic seizures (EPTS) in n on-accidental head injury (NAHI), and examine their relation with outcome, a retrospective study was carried out. All children with NAHI admitted to t he Royal Hospital for Sick children, Edinburgh, since 1981 were identified. The characteristics of EPTS, EEG, and outcome were noted. Forty-four cases were identified. The average age of children at presentation was 5.9 month s. Thirty-two of these children had EPTS. The median length of follow-up wa s 3 sears. The mortality rate was six in 44 (14%). The neurodevelopmental o utcome correlated significantly with the presence and severity of EPTS (Tau = 0.317, p = 0.017). Of survivors, 22% developed late posttraumatic epilep sy; the outcome in those with epilepsy was significantly worse than those w ithout (p < 0.0001). It was concluded that the severity of the primary brai n injury dictates the severity of the EPTS and neurodevelopmental status at follow-up.