The Impact of Electroencephalographic (EEG) Seizure Treatment in Neonatal Encephalopathy
Seizures, Encephalopathy
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Seizures focused on measuring Neonatal Seizures, Neonatal encephalopathy
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Term or near term infants ≥ 36 weeks gestation admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit
- ≤ 72 hours of age
Screening for the "at risk" infant by the clinical team to include any one of the following:
- Apgar score <5 at 5 min
- Cord blood or postnatal gas with pH <7.0 or BE > -12
- Need for respiratory support at 10 min of life
- Suspected or definite seizures
- Encephalopathy defined by recognition of altered neurological behavior
Infants identified in the above screen will be examined by the research team and will be eligible if they satisfy at least one of the following:
- Moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy (3 out of 6 criteria)
- Suspected or definite neonatal seizures
Exclusion criteria:
- Infants < 36 weeks gestation
- > 72 hours of age
- Infants with congenital anomalies of the central nervous system
- Moribund infants for whom no further aggressive treatment is planned
- Metabolic disorders or documented CNS infection
- Neuro-muscular blockade
Sites / Locations
- St. Louis Children's Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
No Intervention
EEG seizure treatment group
Clinical Seizure treatment Group
EEG data available to physicians. Treatment based on EEG seizures. Treatment will be dictated by the detailed treatment protocol. Standard antiepileptic medications will be used.
Seizure treatment in this group will be based on standard care - treating clinical seizures only. While EEG data will be collected in this group, the data will not be available to the treating physicians. A one-hour EEG report will be available to the treating team. Continuous EEG monitoring and treatment will only be allowed if the initial EEG shows status.