Medical Devices: Evidence and Research (Dec 2019)

A Comparison Of Conventional Electroencephalography With Amplitude-Integrated EEG In Detection Of Neonatal Seizures

  • Kadivar M,
  • Moghadam EM,
  • Shervin Badv R,
  • Sangsari R,
  • Saeedy M

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 12
pp. 489 – 496

Abstract

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Maliheh Kadivar, Elahe Movahedi Moghadam, Reza Shervin Badv, Raziye Sangsari, Maryam Saeedy Department of Neonatology, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Elahe Movahedi MoghadamNeonatal Health Research Center, Research Institute for Children Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranEmail [email protected]: Amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) is widely used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) to monitor neonatal seizures. This method is still not well established compared to conventional electroencephalogram (cEEG), the diagnostic gold standard. However, aEEG can be a good screening tool for the diagnosis of seizures in infants. Our aim in this review study is to evaluate aEEG diagnostic accuracy in comparison with cEEG, for detection of neonatal seizures.Methods: In this work, we studied the published articles which used EEG and aEEG in the evaluation process of seizures in neonates and compared these techniques to obtain an approach for the detection of neonatal seizures.Results: Seventeen articles were included. Using aEEG with raw trace to detect individual seizures showed median sensitivity of 78% (range: 68–85) and median specificity of 78% (range: 71–84). The median sensitivity and specificity were 54% (range: 25–95) and 81% (range: 50–100), respectively, in case of using aEEG without raw traces. Brief duration seizures and those occurring away from aEEG leads were less detected.Conclusion: Studies showed that aEEG has variable sensitivity and specificity. Based on the evidences, aEEG cannot be recommended as the only way for diagnosis and management of seizures in neonates; however, it could complete the diagnosis of seizures in the infant and could be a very good tool for screening seizures.Keywords: conventional electroencephalography, amplitude-integrated EEG, neonatal seizures

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