Amplitude integrated electroencephalography - Reference values in children aged 2 months to 16 years

Area of Science:

• Clinical Neuroscience
• Pediatric Neurology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) is a standard neuromonitoring tool in neonatal intensive care.
• Its use is expanding in pediatric populations, but normative data for children are lacking.
• This gap hinders accurate interpretation of aEEG in pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative electroencephalography (EEG) amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) values for children.
• To provide a dataset for the clinical interpretation of aEEG in pediatric patients aged 2 months to 16 years.
• To characterize age- and state-dependent variations in pediatric aEEG.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational cohort study analyzed 350 normal electroencephalograms (EEGs) from children aged 2 months to 16 years.
• Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) was derived from these EEGs.
• Median upper and lower margin amplitudes and bandwidth were calculated from 5-minute waking and sleeping epochs.

Main Results:

• Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) amplitudes demonstrate age and state-dependent variations, increasing in the first two years and then decreasing.
• Children under 6 years exhibit greater upper and lower margin amplitudes and bandwidth during sleep compared to older children.
• Reference ranges were established, with distinct values for children under and over 6 years, for both awake and asleep states.

Conclusions:

• Amplitude integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) traces change with age throughout childhood and differ significantly from neonatal patterns.
• This study presents comprehensive normative aEEG data for children.
• These established normatives will enhance the clinical interpretation of aEEG in older children.