[Neurological pathology in the newborn infant]

The purpose of this work was to review the literature about the newborn neurological pathology and to compare it with our results starting from the observation of 650 children who born at the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre from September 1979 to June 1980. Out of these, 100 presented with neonatal neurological pathology. These newborn were studied as to the age of the mother at the birth time, Apgar rate, weight and cephalic perimeter at the birth time, probable etiologies, and clinical picture and evolution. These newborn were compared to control groups and the results were discussed on the grounds of literature. Out of 100 newborn with neurological pathology, 65% presented with pathological neurological examination and 35% with normal neurological examination. The 65 newborn with pathological neurological examination had hypotonia, decreased deep tendon reflexes, decreased or absence of superficial reflexes in 40 cases. Hyperactivity, hypertonia and tremors were observed in 25 cases. Coma was present in 6 of these newborn with apathy and hypotonia. Seizures were present in 41 cases. EEG was performed in 29 of these 41 cases in the first five days of life. The EEG was normal in 15 (51.7%) newborn and it was pathologic in 14 (48.3%) newborn. The 100 newborn had the following diagnosis: 37 birth anoxia, 13 hemorrhages, 24 meningitis, 14 metabolic seizures, 4 sepsis, 1 kernicterus, 2 chromosomopathies, 3 malformation, 1 cerebral palsy, and 1 congenital rubeola. Out of the 37 newborn with birth anoxia, 20 (54.1%) had a good evolution, 7 (18.9%) had sequela and 10 (27.0%) died. Out of 13 newborn with hemorrhages 2 (15.4%) had a good evolution, 5 (38.5%) had sequela, and 6 (46.1%) died. Out of 24 newborn with meningitis, 18 (75.0%) had a good evolution, 5 (20.8%) had sequela, and 1 (4.2%) died. Out of 58 newborn with a good evolution, 30 had normal newborn neurological exam, and 28 had transient alterations. Out of 23 newborn who presented with sequela later on, only 5 had normal newborn neurological exam. All the 19 who died, had pathological newborn neurological exam.