Electroencephalographic abnormalities in children with congenital heart disease
K. John, D. S. Bachman, R. F. Cooper, J. Craenen and M. E. Drake Jr
Ninety-eight consecutive patients with clinically suspected congenital
heart disease were prospectively studied with electroencephalographic (EEG)
recordings before cardiac catheterization. Twenty-five patients had
abnormal EEGs. Fifty-five patients had acyanotic heart disease and normal
neurologic examination results, of whom 15 had abnormal EEGs. Thirteen had
spikes or spike and wave discharges and two had mildly abnormal EEGs.
Twenty-seven patients had cyanotic heart disease and normal neurologic
examination results, of whom four had abnormal EEGs. Seven patients (8%)
had abnormal neurologic examination results, of whom four had abnormal
EEGs. There was a higher incidence of seizures with increasing age. Based
on their medical history two children with acyanotic heart disease had had
seizures without EEG abnormalities. Five children with normal
catheterization findings and four children with Down's syndrome (two with
abnormal EEGs) were excluded from the total of 98. These findings suggest
that subclinical nervous system involvement may occur in congenital heart
disease.
