The length of interburst intervals and burst suppression did not predict successful termination of RSE in this small cohort. This may suggest that EEG characteristics, rather a strict interburst interval goal, could guide IVAT for RSE.
Introduction. Brain injury is a major determinant of outcomes in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Neurologic prognostication in ECMO has not been established. Absent electroencephalogram (EEG) reactivity and absent N20 on somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) are associated with poor outcome in other types of brain injuries, especially following cardiopulmonary arrest. It is currently known if the same criteria are applicable in patients on ECMO. Methods. Continuous EEG (cEEG) was performed for patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) <8 and SSEP data were performed for patients with a motor GCS < 4 in a prospective observational cohort undergoing ECMO at a tertiary center. EEG variables including reactivity were collected. SSEPs were categorized into absence, delay, or presence of N20. Poor outcome was defined as cerebral performance category 3 to 5 at discharge. Results. We present 13 consecutive patients who underwent both cEEG and SSEP. The median time from cannulation to EEG and SSEP were 3 (interquartile range [IQR] = 1-6) and 5 (IQR = 2-7) days, respectively. All patients were in coma and 12 (92%) had poor outcomes. Ten (77%) underwent brain computed tomography, the findings of which explained coma in only 2. Patients (n = 12) with poor outcome had poor variability, absent reactivity, and lack of sleep features with diffusely slow theta-delta background on the EEG. Despite poor outcomes, all had relatively preserved or normal N20 responses. One patient with preserved reactivity and sleep features on the EEG and intact SSEP had a good outcome. Conclusions. Absent EEG reactivity with the preservation of SSEP N20 was associated with poor outcome in comatose ECMO patients. We advise caution in interpreting electrophysiological tests in prognosticating ECMO patients until the patterns and outcomes are better understood.
Cefepime has been associated with encephalopathy and with nonconvulsive seizure activity, primarily in patients with renal impairment. Here, we report a case of cefepime-associated encephalopathy in a patient with normal renal function with stimulus-induced rhythmic activity seen on electroencephalogram, which resolved on discontinuation of cefepime. We bring this to the attention of the neurohospitalist community, as cefepime is widely used in the hospital setting, and cefepime-related neurotoxicity may go overlooked, especially in patients with normal renal function. Neurologists must recognize drug-related patterns, as the treatment is removing a medication rather than adding an antiepileptic medication.
Objective assessment of the brain’s responsiveness in comatose patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support is essential to clinical care, but current approaches are limited by subjective methodology and inter-rater disagreement. Quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG) algorithms could potentially assist clinicians, improving diagnostic accuracy. We developed a quantitative, stimulus-based algorithm to assess EEG reactivity features in comatose patients on ECMO support. Patients underwent a stimulation protocol of increasing intensity (auditory, peripheral, and nostril stimulation). A total of 129 20-s EEG epochs were collected from 24 patients (age [Formula: see text], 10 females, 14 males) on ECMO support with a Glasgow Coma Scale[Formula: see text]8. EEG reactivity scores ([Formula: see text]-scores) were calculated using aggregated spectral power and permutation entropy for each of five frequency bands ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. Parameter estimation techniques were applied to [Formula: see text]-scores to identify properties that replicate the decision process of experienced clinicians performing visual analysis. Spectral power changes from audio stimulation were concentrated in the [Formula: see text] band, whereas peripheral stimulation elicited an increase in spectral power across multiple bands, and nostril stimulation changed the entropy of the [Formula: see text] band. The findings of this pilot study on [Formula: see text]-score lay a foundation for a future prediction tool with clinical applications.
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