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Analysis of 84 EEGs recorded during the first 24 hours of life in 80 full-term newborns admitted in intensive care unit for different reasons. - 35 died, 45 survived (normal outcome: 30, minor sequelae: 6, major sequelae: 9). Extremely abnormal EEGs (27 cases) demonstrated singly or in combination: electrical discharges - isoelectric activity (after 10 hours of life) - Permanent discontinuous activity with longest interval greater than 40 seconds, shortest interburst interval greater than 3 seconds, longest burst shorter than 6 seconds. These abnormalities were observed in babies with unfavourable outcome. Normal or minimally abnormal EEGs (31 cases) were observed in babies with normal outcome (21 cases), minor sequelae (3) or in babies died without cerebral injury at autopsy. Twenty-two EEGs could not be classified easily after a single recording, most of then obtained before the 10th hour of life. Sleep state organization was assessed in 56 neonates; sleep state organization was present in 11 infants (normal outcome or minor sequelae). The EEG of the first day of life can be a useful tool in assessing the degree of early cerebral injury in infants requiring intensive care.

Sleep polygraphic recording was carried out on 52 normal full-term babies. 16 infants were recorded at 2 - 7 days of age, 14 at 2 to 5 weeks, 13 at 6 to 9 weeks and 9 at 10 - 13 weeks. Central apneas of 2 sec and over were analysed in Active Sleep (AS), Quiet Sleep (QS) and Transitional Sleep (TS). Apnea Index (AI, percent of non-breathing) and Number of Apneas (NA) per 100 min of sleep state (for 2 - 4 sec, greater than or equal to 5 sec, greater than or equal to 6 sec and greater than or equal to 10 sec apneas) were determined. Obstructive and mixed apneas were tabulated separately. % of Periodic Breathing (PB) was also determined. These results were statistically tested using different methods. AI and number of less than 5 sec apneas are higher in AS than in QS during the period studied. A decrease of AI and NA occurs before the end of the 2nd month both in AS and QS. During the first five weeks of postnatal life the AI, the NA and the % of PB are higher in infants born at 38 - 39 weeks of Gestational Age (GA) than in infants born at 40 - 42 weeks. A positive correlation between short apneas (less than 5 sec) and apneas greater than or equal to 5 sec was found in AS and in total sleep. Obstructive and mixed apneas were very infrequent. Apneas are not affected by recording technique, sex or sleeping position of infants. There is a great interindividual variability of NA, particularly during the first month of life. Little normative data has been published so far concerning the incidence of respiratory apneas during day sleep in full-term infants recorded by polygraphy.

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