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Updated: Nov 24, 2025
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Feasibility of Using Amplitude-Integrated EEG During Neonatal Transport
Published on: June 21, 2024
Implementation of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography in tertiary Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units-a
Beate Grass1, Blondel Crosdale1, Matthew Keyzers1
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario.
Aim:
To investigate the implementation of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) as bedside monitoring tool of cerebral function in tertiary Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) over the past decade.
Methods:
Longitudinal study consisting of online surveys of neonatologists on the use of aEEG in 2009 and 2018.
Results:
The response rate to the survey was 72 of 149 (49%) in 2009 and 18 of 30 (60%) in 2018, respectively. aEEG has been implemented in almost all (2009: 62.5%; 2018: 94%) tertiary Canadian NICUs. Two-thirds (2009: 67%; 2018: 71%) of the respondents considered information from aEEG tracing helpful in clinical practice. The main indications for aEEG were term neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (2009 and 2018: 76%) and seizure detection/surveillance (2009: 88%; 2018: 94%). Teaching on aEEG has been implemented for neonatologists (2018: 100%) and health care providers (2018: 50%) in tertiary Canadian NICUs but there is a lack of standardization of training. Use of aEEG in preterm neonates (2009: 37%, 2018: 33%) and application of aEEG in research (18% reported occasional use) is less common.
Conclusion:
aEEG is well established in tertiary Canadian NICUs to monitor cerebral function and detect seizure activity. There is a need to develop formalized aEEG training programs and methods to assess competence. Further implementation of aEEG in preterm neonates and research is desirable.
