Relationship between EEG spectral power and dysglycemia with neurodevelopmental outcomes after neonatal encephalopathy.

Objective: We investigated how electroencephalography (EEG) quantitative measures and dysglycemia relate to neurodevelopmental outcomes following neonatal encephalopathy (NE).

Methods: This retrospective study included 90 neonates with encephalopathy who received therapeutic hypothermia. EEG absolute spectral power was calculated during post-rewarming and 2-month follow-up. Measures of dysglycemia (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and glycemic lability) and glucose variability were computed for the first 48 h of life. We evaluated the ability of EEG and glucose measures to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes at ≥ 18 months, using logistic regressions (with area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] curves).

Results: The post-rewarming global delta power (average all electrodes), hyperglycemia and glycemic lability predicted moderate/severe neurodevelopmental outcome separately (AUROC = 0.8, 95%CI [0.7,0.9], p < .001) and even more so when combined (AUROC = 0.9, 95%CI [0.8,0.9], p < .001). After adjusting for NE severity and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain injury, only global delta power remained significantly associated with moderate/severe neurodevelopmental outcome (odds ratio [OR] = 0.9, 95%CI [0.8,1.0], p = .04), gross motor delay (OR = 0.9, 95%CI [0.8,1.0], p = .04), global developmental delay (OR = 0.9, 95%CI [0.8,1.0], p = .04), and auditory deficits (OR = 0.9, 95%CI [0.8,1.0], p = .03).

Conclusions: In NE, global delta power post-rewarming was predictive of outcomes at ≥ 18 months.

Significance: EEG markers post-rewarming can aid prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes following NE.