Abstract
This study was performed to assess the predictive value of EEG in HIE following acute
fetal distress. For 38 full-term neonates, EEC was recorded at least before 48 hours
of life and between 2 and 7 days. Neurological outcome was evaluated at a minimum
age of one year. Normal or slightly abnormal early EEGs (14 cases) were observed with
normal outcome (13 cases) or minor sequelae (1 case). Extremely abnormal early EEGs
were associated with death (5 cases), severe sequelae (4 cases) or normal outcome
(1 case); among the "intermediate" group (14 cases), improvement of background activity
before 7 days indicated a good prognosis (4/5), whereas identical or worsened activity
was noted in all cases with a poor outcome. Of neonates 90 % with very abnormal EEGs
and 64.3 % with "intermediate" EEG presented a significantly unfavourable outcome
compared with neonates having normal recordings (p < 0.0001). The EEG before 48 hours
has an excellent sensitivity rate (94.7 %) but a less satisfactory specificity rate
(68.4 %).
Key words
Hypoxic-Ischaemic encephalopathy - Newborn - Neonatal EEG
