Relation of seizures after cardiac surgery in early infancy to neurodevelopmental outcome

Abstract

Background - The outcome of infants who have transient seizures after open heart surgery has not been studied. Using the database of the Boston Circulatory Arrest Study revolving 171 children with D-transposition of the great arteries, we explored the relationship between early postoperative clinical and EEG seizures and neurodevelopmental outcomes at ages 1 and 2 1/4 years. Methods and Results - At 1 year, children returned for developmental and neurological evaluations and MRI. Parent-completed developmental questionnaires were collected at 2 1/4 years of age. At 1 year, children with early postoperative seizures had lower Psychomotor Development Index (motor function) scores (clinical seizures: 12.9 mean difference [MD]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2 to 23.6; P=.02; EEG seizures: 13.3 MD; 95% CI, 6.8 to 19.7; P