Title:The Use of Midazolam as an Antiseizure Medication in Neonatal Seizures:
Single Center Experience and Literature Review
Volume: 23
Issue: 10
Author(s): Raffaele Falsaperla, Ausilia Desiree Collotta*, Vincenzo Sortino, Simona Domenica Marino, Silvia Marino, Francesco Pisani and Martino Ruggieri
Affiliation:
- Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Operative Unit, Azienda
Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico "G. Rodolico-San Marco", San Marco Hospital, University of Catania, Catania,
Italy
Keywords:
Neonate, seizure, treatment, midazolam, sequential, side effects, short time, long time.
Abstract:
Background: Existing therapeutic alternatives for neonatal crises have expanded in recent
decades, but no consensus has been reached on protocols based on neonatal seizures. In particular, little
is known about the use of midazolam in newborns.
Aim: The aim of our study is to evaluate the response to midazolam, the appearance of side effects,
and their impact on therapeutic decisions.
Methods: This is a STROBE-conformed retrospective observational study of 10 patients with neonatal
seizures unresponsive to common antiseizure drugs, admitted to San Marco University Hospital’s neonatal
intensive care (Catania, Italy) from September 2015 to October 2022. In our database search, 36
newborns were treated with midazolam, but only ten children met the selection criteria for this study.
Results: Response was assessed both clinically and electrographic. Only 4 patients at the end of the
treatment showed a complete electroclinical response; they were full-term infants with a postnatal age
greater than 7 days. Non-responders and partial responders are all premature (4/10) or full-term neonates
who started therapy in the first days of life (< 7th day) (2/10).
Conclusion: Neonatal seizures in preterm show a lower response rate to midazolam than seizures in
full-term infants, with poorer prognosis. Liver and renal function and central nervous system development
are incomplete in premature infants and the first days of life. In this study, we show that midazolam,
a short-acting benzodiazepine, appears to be most effective in full-term infants and after 7
days of life.