Color density spectral array findings on continuous EEG during therapeutic hypothermia in children with acute encephalopathy

Background: Quantitative EEG is frequently used to monitor children affected by acute encephalopathy (AE), with the expectation of providing comprehensive insights into continuous EEG monitoring. However, the potential of quantitative EEG for estimating outcomes in this context remains unclear. We sought reliable prognostic markers within the color density spectral array (CDSA) of the continuous EEG for AE-affected children undergoing therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Methods: This retrospective study analyzed CDSA data from eight scalp electrodes of 15 AE-affected children undergoing TH. Two CDSA features were investigated—high-frequency lines (HFLs) and periodic elevation in the low frequency band (PLFB)—along with the corresponding EEG characteristics. The inter-rater reliability for CDSA was assessed by four pediatric neurologists. Outcomes were grouped into either no/mild or severe decline in motor and cognitive functions, then compared with CDSA features. Results: The median EEG recording time was 114 (81–151) h per child. While at least 41 % of HFLs corresponded to typical sleep spindles, 94 % of PLFB aligned with cyclic changes in the amplitude of delta/theta waves on the raw EEG. Inter-rater reliability was higher for HFLs than for PLFB (kappa values: 0.69 vs. 0.46). HFLs were significantly more prevalent in children with no/mild decline than in children with severe decline (p = 0.017), whereas PLFB did not differ significantly (p = 0.33). Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that reduced HFLs on CDSA predict unfavorable outcomes in AE-affected children undergoing TH. This suggests that maintaining high-frequency waves is critical for optimal brain function.