Continuous Electroencephalogram Use and Hospital Outcomes in Critically Ill Children

To examine the association between CEEG use and discharge status, length of hospitalization, and health care cost in a critically ill pediatric population.

Four thousand three hundred forty-eight critically ill children were identified from a US nationwide administrative health claims database; 212 (4.9%) of whom underwent CEEG during admissions (January 1, 2015-june 30, 2020). Discharge status, length of hospitalization, and health care cost were compared between patients with and without CEEG use. Multiple logistic regression analyzed the association between CEEG use and these outcomes, controlling for age and underlying neurologic diagnosis. Prespecified subgroups analysis was performed for children with seizures/status epilepticus, with altered mental status and with cardiac arrest.

Compared with critically ill children without CEEG, those who underwent CEEG were likely to have shorter hospital stays than the median (OR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.49-0.88; P = 0.004), and also total hospitalization costs were less likely to exceed the median (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.45-0.79; P < 0.001). There was no difference in odds of favorable discharge status between those with and without CEEG (OR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.41-1.08; P = 0.125). In the subgroup of children with seizures/status epilepticus, those with CEEG were less likely to have unfavorable discharge status, compared with those without CEEG (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.27-0.89; P = 0.026).

Among critically ill children, CEEG was associated with shorter stay and lower costs of hospitalization but was not associated with change of favorable discharge status except the subgroup with seizures/status epilepticus.