Reference values for amplitude-integrated electroencephalographic activity in preterm infants younger than 30 weeks' gestational age.

Objective. To prospectively investigate the development of amplitude-integrated electroencephalographic (aEEG) activity during the first 2 weeks of life in neurologically normal and clinically stable preterm infants Patients and Methods. Infants with a GA of Results. Seventy-five infants (median GA: 27 weeks; range: 23–29 weeks) were eligible for inclusion in the reference group and had aEEG recordings during the first 2 weeks of life available. Analysis of aEEG background activity showed that with higher GA the relative amount of continuous activity increased while discontinuous patterns decreased. The number of bursts per hour decreased with increasing GA. Cyclical changes in aEEG background activity resembling early sleep-wake cycles were observed in all infants. Conclusions. Normal values for aEEG background activity were determined in preterm infants