Assessment of neonatal electroencephalography (EEG) background by conventional and two amplitude-integrated EEG classification systems.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the agreement among conventional electroencephalography (CEEG) terminology background classification and a simple and an advanced amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG) system, and to evaluate whether aEEG interpreter experience or electrographic seizures affect this agreement.


METHODS
CEEG background was classified by traditional interpretive criteria for 144 neonatal recordings, from which a single channel was converted to aEEGs. These aEEGs were independently interpreted by neonatologists according to the simple and advanced classification systems.


RESULTS
Interreader agreement was better with the simple aEEG system compared with the advanced aEEG system (multirater kappa, 0.66 vs 0.44). Fair-to-moderate agreement was found between both of the aEEG classification systems and CEEG (simple: kappa, 0.34 to 0.45; advanced: kappa, 0.36 to 0.45). Agreement did not vary significantly based on the aEEG interpreter experience or the presence of seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatologists found better agreement using the simple aEEG system regardless of their expertise or the presence of seizures. This finding has implications for patient selection in future multicenter neonatal neuroprotection studies.
Shellhaas
Renée A
RA
Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Gallagher
Paul R
PR
Clancy
Robert R
RR
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index