[Effect of blood glucose on quantitative electroencephalography parameters in preterm infants]

To study the value of quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) in evaluating the effect of blood glucose on the brain function of preterm infants.

The preterm infants who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, from January to December 2019 were enrolled. According to the level of blood glucose, they were divided into group 1 (blood glucose <4.95 mmol/L), group 2 (blood glucose 4.95 to <6.60 mmol/L), group 3 (blood glucose 6.60 to <8.55 mmol/L), and group 4 (blood glucose ≥8.55 mmol/L). The changes in qEEG parameters were compared between groups, and a correlation analysis was performed for blood glucose and qEEG parameters.

A total of 39 preterm infants were enrolled (84 blood glucose measurements). Compared with group 4, the other three groups had significant increases in the total spectral power of each brain region and the absolute power of each frequency band in the frontal and occipital regions (P<0.05). The total spectral power, δ/θ ratio, and (δ+θ)/(α+β) ratio of each brain region were negatively correlated with blood glucose level, while the relative power of θ frequency band was positively correlated with blood glucose level (P<0.05).

With the change in blood glucose, there are significant changes in the total spectral power of each brain region, the power of each frequency band, and the frequency spectrum composition on qEEG in preterm infants. qEEG may therefore become an important tool to monitor the effect of abnormal blood glucose on brain function in preterm infants.