About this Research Topic
Neonatal neurocritical care has emerged as a subspecialty within neonatology due to the enhanced focus on the prevention and treatment of brain injury in newborns which accompanied the large randomized clinical trials of therapeutic hypothermia. Neuromonitoring with continuous bedside monitoring of neurologic function is a key feature in this new care model. New neurodiagnostic modalities including amplitude-integrated EEG (aEEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and heart rate variability (HRV) are now used independently or in combination along with continuous EEG in a growing number of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Research regarding these techniques and their utility in specific patient populations is an active area of investigation. It is clear that there is an urgent need to provide comprehensive education to make this information more available to the neonatal community.
Our goal is to bring together a collection of manuscripts which will provide the current status of neonatal neuromonitoring as well as describing the key neurodiagnostic monitoring techniques and their application to a variety of neonatal populations and diagnoses. Our intent is to provide the most current information on a rapidly progressing field to further enhance the clinical use of these neurodiagnostic techniques in NICUs around the world.
Specific topics we wish to address include:
• Current status and future directions of neuromonitoring in the newborn
• Basic aEEG and NIRS concepts: Sensor application, interpretation, and provider education
• Optimal neuromonitoring techniques in neonates with HIE
• NIRS use for detection of ROP and IVH
• Dual use of aEEG and NIRS for management of the PDA
• Measuring autoregulation in the newborn
• Uses of heart rate variability in the newborn
• Neuromonitoring in the newborn with congenital heart disease
• NIRS use in the preterm infant to provide neuroprotection
• aEEG for outcome prediction and other indications in the preterm population
• Other indications for NIRS in the NICU
• Current and future uses of continuous EEG use in the NICU.
We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Gabriel Variane (Protecting Brains and Saving Futures, Brazil) as a coordinator in the preparation of this Research Topic.
Our goal is to bring together a collection of manuscripts which will provide the current status of neonatal neuromonitoring as well as describing the key neurodiagnostic monitoring techniques and their application to a variety of neonatal populations and diagnoses. Our intent is to provide the most current information on a rapidly progressing field to further enhance the clinical use of these neurodiagnostic techniques in NICUs around the world.
Specific topics we wish to address include:
• Current status and future directions of neuromonitoring in the newborn
• Basic aEEG and NIRS concepts: Sensor application, interpretation, and provider education
• Optimal neuromonitoring techniques in neonates with HIE
• NIRS use for detection of ROP and IVH
• Dual use of aEEG and NIRS for management of the PDA
• Measuring autoregulation in the newborn
• Uses of heart rate variability in the newborn
• Neuromonitoring in the newborn with congenital heart disease
• NIRS use in the preterm infant to provide neuroprotection
• aEEG for outcome prediction and other indications in the preterm population
• Other indications for NIRS in the NICU
• Current and future uses of continuous EEG use in the NICU.
We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Gabriel Variane (Protecting Brains and Saving Futures, Brazil) as a coordinator in the preparation of this Research Topic.
Keywords: Neuromonitoring, amplitude-integrated electroencephalography, aEEG, near-infrared spectroscopy, NIRS, heart rate variability, HRV, continuous electroencephalography, cEEG
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