Combining MRI and Spectral EEG for Assessment of Neurocognitive Outcomes in Preterm Infants

Predicting impairment in preterm children is challenging. Our aim is to explore the association between MRI at term-equivalent age (TEA) and neurocognitive outcomes in late childhood and to assess whether the addition of EEG improves prognostication.

This prospective observational study included forty infants with gestational age 24 + 0-30 + 6. Children were monitored with multichannel EEG for 72 h after birth. Total absolute band power for the delta band on day 2 was calculated. Brain MRI was performed at TEA and scored according to the Kidokoro scoring system. At 10-12 years of age, we evaluated neurocognitive outcomes with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children 4th edition, Vineland adaptive behavior scales 2nd edition and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. We performed linear regression analysis to examine the association between outcomes and MRI and EEG, respectively, and multiple regression analysis to explore the combination of MRI and EEG.

Forty infants were included. There was a significant association between global brain abnormality score and composite outcomes of WISC and Vineland test, but not the BRIEF test. The adjusted R2 was 0.16 and 0.08, respectively. For EEG, adjusted R2 was 0.34 and 0.15, respectively. When combining MRI and EEG data, adjusted R2 changed to 0.36 for WISC and 0.16 for the Vineland test.

There was a small association between TEA MRI and neurocognitive outcomes in late childhood. Adding EEG to the model improved the explained variance. Combining EEG and MRI data did not have any additional benefit over EEG alone.