Epidemiological data of West syndrome in Finland

The present study examined whether changes in the incidence of West syndrom e (WS) could be used to evaluate changes in the quality of prenatal care ov er time. The incidence of WS in Finland did not change (1960-1991) in spite of increased survival of low-birth-weight infants. Small-for-gestational a ge (SGA) infants were more apt to develop infantile spasms than preterm ave rage-for-gestational age infants. The number of SGA infants with neonatal h ypoglycemia and infantile spasms decreased significantly. The number of cas es of brain malformation and tuberous sclerosis increased; this probably re flects the development of more refined neuroradiological screening methods. Early prenatal factors seem to play a major role in the genesis of infanti le spasms. Little can be done to reduce the incidence of WS, but every effo rt should be made to reduce the number of SGA infants by good prenatal care and treating neonatal hypoglycemia carefully. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.