Quantitative Assessment of Electroencephalogram Reactivity in Comatose Patients on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

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, stimulusbased 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 56.9 +/- 15.1, 10 females, 14 males) on ECMO support with a Glasgow Coma Scale < 8. EEG reactivity scores (R-scores) were calculated using aggregated spectral power and permutation entropy for each of five frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta,). Parameter estimation techniques were applied to R-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 beta band, whereas peripheral stimulation elicited an increase in spectral power across multiple bands, and nostril stimulation changed the entropy of the. band. The findings of this pilot study on R-score lay a foundation for a future prediction tool with clinical applications.

Automated summary

Objective assessment of brain responsiveness is crucial for comatose patients on ECMO support, but current approaches are limited. We developed a quantitative algorithm to evaluate EEG reactivity in these patients, showing potential for improving diagnostic accuracy and serving as a foundation for future prediction tools.