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Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of continuous EEG monitoring of stroke patients during and after intravenously infused mannitol., Methods: Patients were rapidly administered 50 g of intravenous mannitol solution with continuous EEG monitoring for 3h pre- and post-drug infusion in the neurological intensive care unit. Visual and spectral analyses of EEG recording pre- and post-mannitol infusion were carried out., Results: The study consisted of 47 patients. Of 38 patients with intracranial hemorrhage, 33 had abnormal EEG findings pre-mannitol administration. After mannitol therapy, visual analysis of the drug-induced EEG changes showed that the EEG findings were unchanged in 13 patients, demonstratively improved in 22 patients, and worse in 3 patients. The spectral analysis demonstrated that mannitol-induced EEG changes increased in alpha power and decreased in delta power in the lesion hemispheres, especially in the central and middle temporal areas. Maximal effects occurred 30 min post-mannitol infusion, and remained significant for 2h post-infusion. Of the 9 patients with cerebral infarction, only one with diffuse background slowing of one-side dominance pre-mannitol improved after the infusion of mannitol., Conclusions: The results of our investigation indicated that continuous EEG monitoring of mannitol treatment can reflect the brain edema, raised ICP in stroke patients, and provide assessment the drugs effects of antiedema and intracranial pressure lowering in vivo.

Objectives: To characterize alterations in continuous EEG monitoring that occurs during and after intravenous infusion of human albumin or furosemide in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage., Methods: Patients were rapidly administered 20% human albumin 50 ml or furosemide 40 mg intravenously with continuous EEG monitoring for 3h before and after drug infusion in the neurological intensive care unit. Visual and spectral analyses of EEG recordings before and after mannitol administration were carried out., Results: The study consisted of 20 patients. Of 14 patients with human albumin treatment, a decrease in the slowing activity was visually noted in 9 cases after the drug infusion. The spectral analysis demonstrated that albumin-induced EEG changes increased in alpha power and decreased in delta power in the lesion hemispheres, especially in the central and middle temporal areas. The effects occurred after 30 min and were maximal 1h after the end of the infusion, then remained significant for 2h post-infusion. Of 6 patients with furosemide treatment, the EEG recordings before, during, and after the furosemide infusion were not statistically significantly different by visual and quantitative analyses., Conclusions: The results support the opinion that the available EEG monitoring techniques offer an inexpensive, non-invasive, and consistently reproducible technique for reflecting the therapeutic effects of therapeutics in lowering ICP and antiedema in stroke patients.