Predictive Ability of Amplitude Integrated Electroencephalography for Adverse Outcomes in Neonates with Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: A Cohort Study

• Published in: Indian journal of pediatrics 2025, Vol.92 (1), p.73-75
• Main Authors: Jain, Priyansh, Saini, Shiv Sajan, Sahu, Jitendra Kumar, Madaan, Priyanka, Sundaram, Venkataseshan, Dutta, Sourabh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical Brief; Cohort Studies; Electroencephalography - methods; Female; Gynecology; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurologic Examination - methods; Pediatrics; Predictive Value of Tests; Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0019-5456; 0973-7693; 0973-7693
• DOI: 10.1007/s12098-024-05098-x

The authors examined the prevalence of abnormal amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) patterns in neonates diagnosed with sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE). They recorded 36626 min of aEEG in 75 study neonates. Encephalopathy was defined by the Brighton Collaboration Neonatal Encephalopathy criteria. Neonates with primary outcome [either non-survivors or survivors with abnormal neurological examination at discharge using Amiel-Tison assessment tool, n = 58, (77%)] were compared with 17 survivors having normal neurological examination at discharge. Severely abnormal aEEG patterns (isoelectric voltage, continuous low voltage, burst suppression) collectively represented 31% of total 36626 min aEEG tracings. Neonates experiencing primary outcome had significantly higher Burdjalov scores than survivors with normal neurological exam ( p value 0.01). After adjusting for gestational age, birth weight, and invasive ventilation, severely abnormal aEEG (aOR 5.8, 95% CI 1.7–19.5, p value 0.005) and Burdjalov score (aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63–0.95, p value 0.01) were independently associated with death or abnormal neurological examination at discharge.