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Early Electroencephalography Suppression and Postnatal Morbidities Correlate with Cerebral Volume at Term-Equivalent Age in Very Preterm Infants

Wikström, Sverre ; Hövel, Holger LU ; Hansen Pupp, Ingrid LU orcid ; Fellman, Vineta LU orcid ; Hüppi, Petra S ; Ley, David LU and Hellström-Westas, Lena LU (2018) In Neonatology 113(1). p.15-20
Abstract

Background: Early brain activity is associated with long-term outcome. Establishing a relation also with postnatal brain growth may increase our understanding of early life influences on preterm brain development. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether early electroencephalography (EEG) activity in infants born very preterm is associated with brain volumes at term, and whether postnatal morbidity affects this association. Methods: Very preterm infants (n = 38) with a median gestational age (GA) of 25.6 weeks had early recordings of single-channel EEG. The percentage of suppressed EEG, i.e., interburst intervals (IBI%) between 24 and 72 h of age, was analyzed in relation to brain volumes on magnetic resonance... (More)

Background: Early brain activity is associated with long-term outcome. Establishing a relation also with postnatal brain growth may increase our understanding of early life influences on preterm brain development. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether early electroencephalography (EEG) activity in infants born very preterm is associated with brain volumes at term, and whether postnatal morbidity affects this association. Methods: Very preterm infants (n = 38) with a median gestational age (GA) of 25.6 weeks had early recordings of single-channel EEG. The percentage of suppressed EEG, i.e., interburst intervals (IBI%) between 24 and 72 h of age, was analyzed in relation to brain volumes on magnetic resonance imaging performed at term-equivalent age, taking into account neonatal morbidities. Results: Early electrocortical depression and a higher IBI% were associated with increased cerebrospinal fluid volume (CSFV) and lower total brain volume relative to intracranial volume, also after adjustment for GA, postnatal morbidities, morphine administration, and postnatal head growth. Overall, an increase in IBI% to 1 SD from the mean corresponded with an increase in CSFV to +0.7 SD and a decrease in brain volume to -0.7 SD. The presence of 2 or more postnatal morbidities were associated with around 10% lower brain volumes. Conclusions: More suppressed early EEG activity of very preterm infants is associated with lower brain volume and increased CSFV at term age, also when adjusting for postnatal morbidities. The findings indicate the importance of pre- and early postpartal determinants of postnatal brain growth, possibly also including activity-dependent mechanisms for brain growth.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Brain development, Cerebrospinal fluid, Electroencephalography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Preterm
in
Neonatology
volume
113
issue
1
pages
15 - 20
publisher
Karger
external identifiers
  • pmid:28934743
  • scopus:85029758648
ISSN
1661-7800
DOI
10.1159/000479423
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b1902546-1998-4142-901e-d986734abdf2
date added to LUP
2017-10-09 11:14:38
date last changed
2024-04-14 19:17:22
@article{b1902546-1998-4142-901e-d986734abdf2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Early brain activity is associated with long-term outcome. Establishing a relation also with postnatal brain growth may increase our understanding of early life influences on preterm brain development. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether early electroencephalography (EEG) activity in infants born very preterm is associated with brain volumes at term, and whether postnatal morbidity affects this association. Methods: Very preterm infants (n = 38) with a median gestational age (GA) of 25.6 weeks had early recordings of single-channel EEG. The percentage of suppressed EEG, i.e., interburst intervals (IBI%) between 24 and 72 h of age, was analyzed in relation to brain volumes on magnetic resonance imaging performed at term-equivalent age, taking into account neonatal morbidities. Results: Early electrocortical depression and a higher IBI% were associated with increased cerebrospinal fluid volume (CSFV) and lower total brain volume relative to intracranial volume, also after adjustment for GA, postnatal morbidities, morphine administration, and postnatal head growth. Overall, an increase in IBI% to 1 SD from the mean corresponded with an increase in CSFV to +0.7 SD and a decrease in brain volume to -0.7 SD. The presence of 2 or more postnatal morbidities were associated with around 10% lower brain volumes. Conclusions: More suppressed early EEG activity of very preterm infants is associated with lower brain volume and increased CSFV at term age, also when adjusting for postnatal morbidities. The findings indicate the importance of pre- and early postpartal determinants of postnatal brain growth, possibly also including activity-dependent mechanisms for brain growth.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wikström, Sverre and Hövel, Holger and Hansen Pupp, Ingrid and Fellman, Vineta and Hüppi, Petra S and Ley, David and Hellström-Westas, Lena}},
  issn         = {{1661-7800}},
  keywords     = {{Brain development; Cerebrospinal fluid; Electroencephalography; Magnetic resonance imaging; Preterm}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{15--20}},
  publisher    = {{Karger}},
  series       = {{Neonatology}},
  title        = {{Early Electroencephalography Suppression and Postnatal Morbidities Correlate with Cerebral Volume at Term-Equivalent Age in Very Preterm Infants}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000479423}},
  doi          = {{10.1159/000479423}},
  volume       = {{113}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}