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Table 1 Frequency of responses to questions in our questionnaire separated by primary type of unit in which responders work

From: Investigating and managing neonatal seizures in the UK: an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach

Question

Responders

All responders

Working predominately in a NICU - Level 3

Working in paediatrics, Level 2 unit, or interest in epilepsy

Working predominately in paediatric neurology / neurodisability unit

All Consultant Responders

Do you treat clinical seizures (i.e. where there is no available aEEG / EEG data to confirm abnormal movements are seizures?

Yes

65/100 (65.0%)

18/33 (54.6%)

38/45 (84.4%)

9/22 (40.9%)

54/81 (66.7%)

No

9/100 (9.0%)

4/33 (12.1%)

3/45 (6.7%)

2/22 (9.1%)

5/81 (6.1%)

Sometimes

26/100 (26.0%)

11/33 (33.3%)

4/45 (8.9%)

11/22 (50.0%)

22/81 (27.2%)

Do you treat electrical seizures (i.e. diagnosed on aEEG/EEG) which do not have any clinical features to see?

Yes

34/100 (34.0%)

14/33 (42.4%)

15/45 (33.3%)

5/22 (22.7%)

27/81 (33.3%)

No

17/100 (17.0%)

1/33 (3.0%)

15/45 (33.3%)

1/22 (4.5%)

11/81 (13.6%)

Sometimes

49/100 (49.0%)

18/33 (54.6%)

15/45 (33.3%)

16/22 (72.7%)

43/81 (53.1%)

Do you think electrical seizures are:

As important as clinical seizures

53/100 (53.0%)

17/33 (51.5%)

25/45 (55.6%)

11/22 (50.0%)

43/81 (53.1%)

More important than clinical seizures

9/100 (9.0%)

2/33 (6.1%)

4/45 (8.9%)

3/22 (13.6%)

6/81 (7.4%)

Less important than clinical seizures

16/100 (16.0%)

6/33 (18.2%)

5/45 (11.1%)

5/22 (22.8%)

14/81 (17.3%)

I don’t know

22/100 (22.0%)

8/33 (24.2%)

11/45 (24.4%)

3/22 (13.6%)

18/81 (22.2%)

Do you think seizures themselves cause harm to the brain/ development (i.e. not related to apnoea/hypoxia and independent of the underlying cause)?

Yes

62/100 (62.0%)

24/33 (72.7%)

27/45 (60.0%)

11/22 (50.0%)

53/81 (65.4%)

No

15/100 (15.0%)

3/33 (9.1%)

9/45 (20.0%)

3/22 (13.6%)

12/81 (14.8%)

I don’t know

23/100 (23.0%)

6/33 (18.2%)

9/45 (20.0%)

8/22 (36.4%)

16/81 (19.8%)

Do you routinely use cerebral function monitoring (aEEG) for monitoring neonates at high risk of seizures or those having recurrent seizures?

We use it in all neonates at risk of seizures

44/94 (46.8%)

20/31 (64.5%)

12/43 (28.0%)

12/20 (60.0%)

39/78 (50.0%)

We use it only in those with HIE

10/94 (10.6%)

5/31 (16.1%)

5/43 (11.6%)

0/20 (0.0%)

9/78 (11.5%)

We use it in selected cases, HIE and non-HIE

20/94 (21.3%)

5/31 (16.1%)

8/43 (18.6%)

7/20 (35.0%)

14/78 (18.0%)

We don’t use it at all

19/94 (20.2%)

1/31 (3.3%)

17/43 (39.5%)

1/20 (5.0%)

16/78 (20.5%)

I don’t know

1/94 (1.1%)

0/31 (0%)

1/43 (2.3%)

0/20 (0%)

0/78 (0%)

With reference to Phenobarbital, do you think it is …

Very effective

29/94 (30.9%)

6/31 (19.4%)

16/43 (37.2%)

7/20 (35.0%)

25/78 (32.1%)

Stops some seizures but not all

65/94 (69.1%)

25/31 (80.6%)

27/43 (62.8%)

13/20 (65.0%)

53/78 (67.9%)

Not at all effective

0/94 (0%)

0/31 (0%)

0/43 (0%)

0/20 (0%)

0/78 (0%)

Have you tried Levetiracetam for treatment of neonatal seizures?

Yes

65/94 (69.1%)

26/31 (83.9%)

19/43 (44.2%)

20/20 (100%)

59/78 (75.6%)

No

29/94 (30.9%)

5/31 (16.1%)

24/43 (55.8%)

0/20 (0%)

19/78 (24.4%)

Do you think Levetiracetam (Keppra) is …

Very effective

21/65 (32.3%)

8/26 (30.8%)

9/19 (47.4%)

4/20 (20.0%)

19/59 (32.2%)

Stops some seizures but not all

44/65 (67.7%)

18/26 (69.2%)

10/19 (52.6%)

16/20 (80.0%)

40/59 (67.8%)

Not at all effective

0/65 (0%)

0/26 (0%)

0/19 (0%)

0/20 (0%)

0/59 (0%)

Compared to Phenobarbital, do you think Levetiracetam is

Better than phenobarbital

14/65 (21.5%)

7/26 (26.9%)

3/19 (15.8%)

4/20 (20.0%)

13/59 (22.0%)

As good as phenobarbital

17/65 (26.2%)

3/26 (11.5%)

9/19 (47.4%)

5/20 (25.0%)

14/59 (23.7%)

Less good than phenobarbital

6/65 (9.2%)

1/26 (3.9%)

1/19 (5.2%)

4/20 (20.0%)

6/59 (10.2%)

I don’t know

28/65 (43.1%)

15/26 (57.7%)

6/19 (31.6%)

7/20 (35.0%)

26/59 (44.1%)