title: Early serial EEG in hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To perform early serial EEGs in infants with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and compare the findings with neurodevelopmental outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine full-term neonates with HIE had simultaneous video-EEG polygraphic studies within 8 h of birth. The EEG was repeated at 12-24 h intervals. All surviving infants had a neurodevelopmental assessment at 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two infants had a normal or mildly abnormal EEG within 8 h of birth and neurodevelopmental outcome was normal. Seven infants had severely depressed background activity in the first 8 h of life. In 3 infants the EEG activity recovered within 12-24 h showing continuous activity with no or only minor abnormalities. All these infants had a normal outcome. The remaining 4 infants, who also had an initially inactive recording, subsequently developed severe background abnormalities. At follow-up, two infants had died and the remainder developed major neurological sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early EEG is an excellent prognostic indicator for a favourable outcome if normal within the first 8 h of life and for a poor outcome if the background activity continues to be inactive or grossly abnormal beyond 8-12 h of life. However, an inactive or very depressed EEG within the first 8 h of life can be associated with good outcome if the EEG activity recovers within 12 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS, London, UK. ronit.pressler@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pressler
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Boylan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Binnie
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rennie
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000254:growth & development; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D009020:Morphine