Forty-five newborn infants with hyperexcitability lasting more than 72 hours were studied in the neonatal period. The association with metabolic disturbances, mainly hypocalcemia, was observed in 53% of cases. Neonatal asphyxia was observed in 21 cases (46%), although all infants had 5 minutes Apgar scores above 6. Only 6 cases had association between neonatal asphyxia and metabolic disturbances. The hyperexcitability syndrome faded away in 1/3 of the infants with metabolic abnormalities after their correction.
newborn infant; hyperexcitability syndrome; metabolic disturbances; asphyxia