Skip to main content
. 2023 Oct 24;2023(10):CD014967. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014967.pub2

Summary of findings 9. Summary of findings table ‐ Maintenance ASM versus no maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control in clinically diagnosed neonatal seizures.

Maintenance ASM versus no maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control in clinically diagnosed neonatal seizures
Patient or population: neonates with clinically diagnosed seizures
Setting: Neonatal intensive care unit
Intervention: maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control
Comparison: no maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control
Outcomes Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) Relative effect
(95% CI) № of participants
(studies) Certainty of the evidence
(GRADE) Comments
Risk with no maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control Risk with maintenance ASM after achieving seizure control
Proportion of infants with repeat seizure before hospital discharge 353 per 1000 268 per 1000
(198 to 356) RR 0.76
(0.56 to 1.01) 373
(2 RCTs) ⊕⊝⊝⊝
Very lowa,b  
Mortality or neurodevelopmental disability at 18 to 24 months' corrected age ‐ not reported Neither of the two included studies reported this outcome.
Mortality before hospital discharge 139 per 1000 96 per 1000
(54 to 170) RR 0.69
(0.39 to 1.22) 373
(2 RCTs) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Lowb  
Mortality at 18‐24 months 121 per 1000 113 per 1000
(41 to 315) RR 0.94
(0.34 to 2.61) 111
(1 RCT) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Lowb  
Neurodevelopmental disability at 18‐24 months 39 per 1000 35 per 1000
(5 to 240) RR 0.89
(0.13 to 6.12) 108
(1 RCT) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Lowb  
Proportion of infants who develop epilepsy post‐discharge 33 per 1000 106 per 1000
(23 to 491) RR 3.18
(0.69 to 14.72) 126
(1 RCT) ⊕⊕⊝⊝
Lowb  
*The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).

CI: confidence interval; RR: risk ratio
GRADE Working Group grades of evidenceHigh certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect.
Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different.
Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect.
Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect.
See interactive version of this table: https://gdt.gradepro.org/presentations/#/isof/isof_question_revman_web_438158727822576253.

a Downgraded by one level for risk of bias due to 'some concerns' in the risk of bias in both the included studies
b Downgraded by two levels for very serious imprecision due to very low sample size and event rate not meeting the 'Optimal Information Size' criteria