Background and aims aEEG predicts outcome in newborns with HIE. CSF-NSE serves as surrogate for HI brain injury. Little is known about the correlation between early aEEG and CSF-NSE within the first 72 h of age.

Aim To examine the correlation between early aEEG and CSF -NSE concentrations in neonates with HIE.

Methods Prospective observational study of term infants with HIE admitted at Agrupació Sanitaria Sant Joan de Déu-Clinic from 2009 through 2011. HIE was clinically graded according to a validated system. Patients with significant HIE underwent therapeutic hypothermia. CFM was performed in all cases. Pattern classification was ranked from 1 to 5 (with higher scores indicating more suppressed traces). The worst CFM tracing within the first 6 h and 6 to 12 h was correlated with CSF NSE performed at 12 h and 72 h.

Results Clinical characteristics of patients are summarised in the Table 1.

The degree of neonatal encephalopathy was related with CSF-NSE concentrations at 12 (r_s = 0.38) but overall at 72 h of life (r_s = 0.83). aEEG traces at 6 h but also at 6–12 h were correlated with CSF-NSE concentration at 12 h (r_s = 0.544 and r_s= 0.529) and even more significant at 72 h (r_s = 0.790 and r_s = 0.768, respectively).

Conclusions Our study provides additional support about aEEG monitoring during the first 12 h is a reliable biomarker for early estimates of ongoing brain damage in neonatal HIE.