Clinical significance of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To study the changes and clinical significance of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). METHODS A total of 156 preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤ 32+6 weeks who were diagnosed with BPD were enrolled as the BPD group, and 156 preterm infants without BPD who were hospitalized during the same period of time were enrolled as the control group. The aEEG scoring system for preterm infants was used to compare aEEG results between the two groups during hospitalization. A stratified analysis was conducted based on the examination time (at the corrected gestational age of ≤ 28+6 weeks, 29-30+6 weeks, 31-32+6 weeks, 33-34+6 weeks, 35-36+6 weeks, and 37-38+6 weeks). RESULTS Compared with the non-BPD group, the BPD group had a significantly lower total aEEG score at the corrected gestational age of 33-34+6 weeks (P < 0.001). The mild BPD group had a significantly lower total aEEG score than the non-BPD group at the corrected gestational age of 33-34+6 weeks (P < 0.05); the moderate BPD group had a significantly lower total aEEG score than the non-BPD group at the corrected gestational ages of 31-32+6 weeks, 33-34+6 weeks, and 35-36+6 weeks (P < 0.05); the severe BPD group had a significantly lower total aEEG score than the non-BPD group at all corrected gestational ages except ≤ 28+6 weeks and 29-30+6 weeks (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants with BPD (especially moderate to severe BPD) have a lower aEEG score than those without BPD, suggesting that their nervous system development may lag behind that of non-BPD preterm infants with the same gestational age. Therefore, early nervous system evaluation and intervention are necessary for preterm infants with BPD.