[Electroencephalographic findings in preterm neonates]

The electroencephalogram (EEG) in the newborn period is highly superior to the clinical exam in the detection and prognosis of brain dysfunctions, since it allows continuous functional documentation of the brain at the patient's bedside in a non-invasive way. However, there is still some disagreement about these findings.

To describe the electroencephalographic findings in newborns with a history of prematurity.

Cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study. The inclusion criteria were: newborns with a history of prematurity, regardless of gender, who underwent an EEG from June 2017 to June 2021. Patients with incomplete electroencephalographic records or clinical records without complete data were excluded; patients using sedatives (thiopental, fentanyl, midazolam, diazepam) were eliminated from the study.

107 patients (37 women and 70 men) with a history of prematurity were included, with a mean gestational age at birth of 30.9 WOG ± 3.25. Electroencephalographic findings were normal in 40%, abnormal in 32%, and immature in 28%. The most frequent abnormal finding was focal paroxysmal activity in 86%. 93.4% of the participants presented comorbidities, the most frequent being neurological.

Preterm neonates are at high risk of neurologic sequelae, and EEG is a sensitive method for assessing neuromotor and cognitive prognosis. In our study population, one-third had abnormal findings. Early postnatal screening is helpful, but additional records are usually needed to detect high-risk newborns. It would be important to continue studying this line of research in pediatrics.