Correlation of quantitative EEG in acute ischemic stroke with 30-day NIHSS score: comparison with diffusion and perfusion MRI.
OBJECTIVE
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods such as diffusion- (DWI) and perfusion-weighted (PWI) imaging have been widely studied as surrogate markers to monitor stroke evolution and predict clinical outcome. The utility of quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) as such a marker in acute stroke has not been intensively studied. The aim of the present study was to correlate ischemic cortical stroke patients' clinical outcomes with acute qEEG, DWI, and PWI data.


METHODS
DWI and PWI data were acquired from 11 patients within 7 and 16 hours after onset of symptoms. Sixty-four channel EEG data were obtained within 2 hours after the initial MRI scan and 1 hour before the second MRI scan. The acute delta change index (aDCI), a measure of the rate of change of average scalp delta power, was compared with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (NIHSSS) at 30 days, as were MRI lesion volumes.


RESULTS
The aDCI was significantly correlated with the 30-day NIHSSS, as was the initial mean transit time (MTT) abnormality volume (rho=0.80, P<0.01 and rho=0.79, P<0.01, respectively). Modest correlations were obtained between the 15-hour DWI lesion volume and both the aDCI and 30-day NIHSSS (rho=0.62, P<0.05 and rho=0.73, P<0.05, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In this small sample the significant correlation between 30-day NIHSSS and acute qEEG data (aDCI) was equivalent to that between the former and MTT abnormality volume. Both were greater than the modest correlation between acute DWI lesion volume and 30-day NIHSSS. These preliminary results indicate that acute qEEG data might be used to monitor and predict stroke evolution.
Centre for Magnetic Resonance, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. finnigan@cmr.uq.edu.au.
Simon P
SP
Finnigan
Stephen E
SE
Rose
Michael
M
Walsh
Mark
M
Griffin
Andrew L
AL
Janke
Katie L
KL
McMahon
Rowan
R
Gillies
Mark W
MW
Strudwick
Catharine M
CM
Pettigrew
James
J
Semple
John
J
Brown
Peter
P
Brown
Jonathan B
JB
Chalk
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003700:Delta Rhythm; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*