Electroencephalography during general anaesthesia differs between term-born and premature-born children. Issue 2 (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Poorun, Ravi; Hartley, Caroline; Goksan, Sezgi; Worley, Alan; Boyd, Stewart; Cornelissen, Laura; Berde, Charles; Rogers, Richard; Ali, Tariq; Slater, Rebeccah
• Is Part Of: Clinical neurophysiology. Volume 127:Issue 2(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 1216
• Page End: 1222
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: EEG -- Nociception -- Preterm -- Anaesthesia; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Electroencephalography -- Periodicals; Electromyography -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2015.10.041
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-2457

Abstract

Highlights: Noxious stimulation during anaesthesia evokes a significant increase in delta activity that does not differ between term-born and premature-born children. Background EEG activity recorded during anaesthesia is different in premature-born and term-born children. EEG-derived measures that can be used to titrate anaesthetic depth may be influenced by premature birth. Abstract: Objectives: Premature birth is associated with a wide range of complications in later life, including structural and functional neurological abnormalities and altered pain sensitivity. We investigated whether during anaesthesia premature-born children display different patterns of background EEG activity and exhibit increased responses to nociceptive stimuli. Methods: We examined background EEG and time-locked responses to clinical cannulation in 45 children (mean age (±SD) at study: 4.9 (± 3.0) years) under sevoflurane monoanaesthesia maintained at a steady-state end-tidal concentration of 2.5%. 15 were born prematurely (mean gestational age at birth: 29.2 ± 3.9 weeks) and 30 were age-matched term-born children. Results: Background levels of alpha and beta power were significantly lower in the premature-born children compared to term-born controls ( p = 0.048). Clinical cannulation evoked a significant increase in delta activity ( p = 0.032), which was not significantly different between the two groups ( p = 0.44). Conclusions: The results indicate that whilst under anaesthesia premature-born children display different patterns of background brain activity compared to term-born children. Significance: As electrophysiological techniques are increasingly used by anaesthetists to gauge anaesthetic depth, differences in background levels of electrophysiological brain activity between premature and term-born children may be relevant when considering titration of anaesthetic dose.