Clinical features and underlying genetic causes in neonatal encephalopathy: A large cohort study

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the potential genetic causes of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) in a large cohort of Chinese patients. We included 366 neonates with encephalopathy. Whole exome sequencing was performed to assess the potential molecular defects. In this study, 43 patients (11.7%) were identified with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants and 10 patients (2.7%) carried variants with unknown significance. Compared with patients without genetic findings (28.9%), patients with genetic findings (96.2%) displayed a significant higher incidence of seizure ( P = .0009); however, a lower frequency of abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results ( P < .0001). Epileptic encephalopathy related genes account for nearly half (46.4%) of all genetic defects of NE with seizures. Follow‐up results revealed genetic diagnosis, seizure and severe abnormal electroencephalograph results were significantly associated with high risk of developmental delay ( P < .05). This study increases the understanding of genetic contribution to NE. Our findings suggest that the full‐term NE patients with seizure, the greater the possibility of genetic diseases. However, for newborns especially the preterm babies with abnormal MRI findings, there is smaller possibility of genetic diseases. NE caused from genetic diseases have poor prognosis, and intensive intervention and follow‐up is necessary for these newborns.