Continuous-display four-channel electroencephalographic monitoring in the evaluation of neonates with paroxysmal motor events

J Child Neurol. 2001 Aug;16(8):625-8. doi: 10.1177/088307380101600822.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the value of continuous-display four-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring to distinguish epileptic front nonepileptic paroxysmal motor events. Five full-term neonates with paroxysmal motor events were included in the study. Nurses were instructed to print contiguous pages of the continuous-display four-channel EEG monitoring and to activate the event marker on the simultaneously conducted continuous video-EEG telemetry unit during each paroxysmal motor event. The printouts from the continuous-display four-channel EEG monitoring were interpreted and compared with the corresponding segments of continuous video-EEG telemetry. Thirty paroxysmal motor events were captured. Sixteen paroxysmal motor events were epileptic, and 14 were nonepileptic. The interpretation of the printouts of the continuous four-channel EEG monitoring concurred with an independent interpretation of the corresponding video-EEG telemetry segments in all of the events. Continuous-display four-channel EEG monitoring is a valuable tool in the evaluation of neonates with paroxysmal motor events since it reliably distinguishes epileptic and nonepileptic events.

MeSH terms

  • Electroencephalography*
  • Epilepsy / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Telemetry / methods
  • Time Factors
  • Videotape Recording*