1663 EXTRAUTERINE BRAIN MATURATION IN PRETERM NEONATES

Abstract

Recent reports suggest that the cerebral function monitor (CFM), a system of integrated EEC accurately reflects cerebral maturational changes associated with gestational ages of both appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) and small-for-gestational age (SGA) neonates. This study describes the use of CFM to evaluate extrauterine brain maturation in 25 normal preterm AGA neonates. Gestational age (GA) of these neonates varied from 26-34 weeks. All of the neonates had an Apgar score of > 6 at five minutes, normal serial cranial sonograms, and absence of any clinical evidence of cerebral hypoxia. Each neonate was evaluated by the CFM at birth and serially thereafter. The characteristics of the cerebral activity during quiet sleep (S1) were used to assign a GA for each CFM evaluation. Comparison of the actual GA at birth assessed by obstetrical and neonatal parameters and the CFM estimate of GA showed no difference (P > 0.3). Similarly, comparison of the postnatal age and the increase in maturation by CFM showed no difference (P >0.4). We conclude that extrauterine brain maturation of the normal preterm AGA neonate is temporally concordant with intrauterine maturation as judged by the CFM.