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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol
Published on: February 18, 2012
The prognostic implications of suppression-burst activity in the EEG in infancy
Insights
Suppression-burst activity on EEG in infants indicates a poor prognosis. Most infants with this EEG pattern experienced severe developmental delays, neurological issues, and high mortality rates.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Clinical Electroencephalography (EEG)
Background:
- Suppression-burst activity is an EEG pattern observed in infants.
- The prognostic significance of suppression-burst activity requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term outcomes for children diagnosed with suppression-burst activity on their EEG.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of EEG recordings from 39 children diagnosed with suppression-burst activity between 1960 and 1973.
- Follow-up data was collected for 29 children (19 girls, 10 boys).
Main Results:
- Suppression-burst activity was identified at a mean age of 4 months.
- 86% of children had infantile spasms, and 96% presented with severe intellectual disability.
- Mortality was 52%, with all deceased children exhibiting severe retardation and neurological abnormalities.
- Among survivors, 71% remained severely retarded, 71% had neurological abnormalities, and 60% continued to experience seizures.
Conclusions:
- Suppression-burst activity on infant EEG is associated with a grave prognosis.
- While hypsarrhythmia alone may not predict outcome, suppression-burst patterns indicate severe neurodevelopmental impairment and high mortality risk.
Abstract:
Thirty-nine children, seen between 1960 and 1973, showed suppression-burst activity in their original EEG recordings. Follow-up information was available for 19 girls and 10 boys. Suppression-burst activity was seen at a mean age of 4 months. Most of the children (86 per cent) had infantile spasms, and 96 per cent were severely retarded on presentation. Fifteen died (52 per cent), 9 of them before the age of 2, and all had severe retardation and neurological abnormalities. Of the 14 survivors, only 1 attends a normal school (she was only mildly retarded on presentation), 71 per cent are severely retarded, 71 per cent have neurological abnormalities, and 60 per cent continue to have fits. Although hypsarrhythmia itself is not necessarily associated with a bad prognosis, the finding of suppression-burst activity certainly implies a grave outlook.
