Developmental characteristics of early electroencephalography in preterm neonates: Differences between twins and singletons

Abstract

Background: To analyze the early electroencephalography (EEG) development of twins and singleton preterm neonates using 5 measurement indicators.

Methods: On the 1st and 7th days after birth, EEG monitoring was performed on 102 preterm neonates (62 males, median gestational age 33.15 weeks, IQR 31.00-35.75). The minimum amplitude, maximum amplitude, maximum interburst intervals (IBI), total duration of trace discontinue (TD), maximum duration of single TD, and the Burdjalov score of amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) were used to evaluate EEG recordings.

Results: The minimum amplitude of EEG increases with gestational age (GA), while the maximum amplitude decreases, the maximum IBI decreases, and the total duration of TD and the maximum duration of single TD decrease (all p < 0.05). Burdjalov score did not differ significantly between the 1st and 7th days (p = 0.075). There is no significant difference between twins and singleton preterm infants in the five EEG measurement indicators (p > 0.05 for all).

Conclusion: The five EEG measurement indicators can better reflect preterm infants' brain maturation than the Burdjalov score in aEEG. There were no statistical differences in brain maturation between twin and singleton preterm infants.

Keywords: development; electroencephalography; measurement indicators; neonate; preterm.