Correlation between the neonatal EEG and the neurological examination in the first year of life in infants with bacterial meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the contribution of neonatal electroencephalogram (EEG) and its correlation with the neurological examination at age of 9 months in newborns with bacterial neonatal meningitis.

METHOD: Twenty seven infants were studied with positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture for bacteria. We used the worse EEG result during acute phase of meningitis, and performed neurologic follow-up after discharge from hospital. Background cerebral activity was classified as normal or mildly, moderately, or markedly abnormal. Neurologic examination outcomes was classified normal, mild abnormalities, moderate abnormalities and severe abnormalities.

RESULTS: EEG performed in the neonatal period during acute bacterial meningitis predicts adverse outcome early at age of 9 months, and had a significant correlation with cephalic perimeter and active tone alterations.

CONCLUSION: Neonatal EEG is useful for predicting abnormal outcomes, especially cephalic perimeter and active tone abnormalities at 9 months of age in infants with bacterial neonatal meningitis.