OBJECTIVE: Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) has been used in neonates in various clinical and research applications. We hypothesized that an abnormal aEEG score could be used as a predictor of short-term adverse outcome. METHODS: Very low birth weight infants were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study. Two channel 12-hour continuous aEEG recordings were performed within 48 h of life and at 1 week of age. Recordings were classified as abnormal if they correspond to a 2 point difference in score. Short-term adverse outcome was defined as either death or Bayley scales ≤ 70 at 4 months corrected age. RESULTS: One hundred infants were enrolled. Their average gestational age was 27.9 ± 2.6 weeks and average birth weight was 997 ± 299 gram. Fifteen enrolled infants died, one was withdrawn, 29 lost to follow up, and 55 examined at 4 months. Those with adverse outcome had significantly increased percentages of abnormal EEG at 1 week of life (31% vs. 8%), severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (27% vs. 4.5%), intubation in the delivery room (45% vs. 16%), and increased average days of mechanical ventilation (16 days vs. 4 days). Combining abnormal aEEG at 1 week of life to severe IVH on early head ultrasound increased the sensitivity of ultrasound to detect short-term adverse outcome from 27% to 50%. CONCLUSION: aEEG is feasible in premature infants and when its data at 1 week of life are combined with early head ultrasound, sensitivity for detecting short-term adverse outcomes was increased.
OBJECTIVE: Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) has been used in neonates in various clinical and research applications. We hypothesized that an abnormal aEEG score could be used as a predictor of short-term adverse outcome. METHODS: Very low birth weight infants were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study. Two channel 12-hour continuous aEEG recordings were performed within 48 h of life and at 1 week of age. Recordings were classified as abnormal if they correspond to a 2 point difference in score. Short-term adverse outcome was defined as either death or Bayley scales ≤ 70 at 4 months corrected age. RESULTS: One hundred infants were enrolled. Their average gestational age was 27.9 ± 2.6 weeks and average birth weight was 997 ± 299 gram. Fifteen enrolled infants died, one was withdrawn, 29 lost to follow up, and 55 examined at 4 months. Those with adverse outcome had significantly increased percentages of abnormal EEG at 1 week of life (31% vs. 8%), severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (27% vs. 4.5%), intubation in the delivery room (45% vs. 16%), and increased average days of mechanical ventilation (16 days vs. 4 days). Combining abnormal aEEG at 1 week of life to severe IVH on early head ultrasound increased the sensitivity of ultrasound to detect short-term adverse outcome from 27% to 50%. CONCLUSION: aEEG is feasible in premature infants and when its data at 1 week of life are combined with early head ultrasound, sensitivity for detecting short-term adverse outcomes was increased.
Authors: A S Davis; M G Gantz; B Do; S Shankaran; S E G Hamrick; K A Kennedy; J E Tyson; L F Chalak; A R Laptook; R F Goldstein; S R Hintz; A Das; R D Higgins; M B Ball; E C Hale; K P Van Meurs Journal: J Perinatol Date: 2014-12-04 Impact factor: 2.521