The prognostic value of amplitude integrated EEG in neonatal sepsis and/or meningitis

Aim: To investigate the longitudinal course and prognostic value of amplitude integrated EEG (aEEG) in infants with neonatal sepsis or meningitis. Methods: Amplitude integrated EEG recordings of 22 infants with sepsis/meningitis were retrospectively evaluated. Mean gestational age was 38 weeks (range: 34–42 weeks). Thirteen infants had meningitis. Survivors were seen for neurological follow‐up. Four infants died, two were severely abnormal at 24 months. Amplitude integrated EEG background pattern, sleep wake cycling (SWC) and electrographic seizure activity (EA) were appraised. Results: All infants with continuous low voltage or flat trace on aEEG (n = 4) had an adverse outcome. Low voltage aEEGs (n = 9) had a positive LR (LR+) for an adverse outcome of 5.3 (95% CI: 1.9–14.8) at 6 h and 8.3 (95% CI: 1.3–55) at 24 h after admission. EA was more frequent in infants with adverse outcome (p