The useage of brainstem auditory evoked potentials to evaluate patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury

Objective: To disclose the prognostic implications of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) in patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury. Method: In 36 cases with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury, BAEP study and Fugl-Meyer′s movement function evaluation were performed before and after a comprehensive rehabilitation treatment. The patients were reassessed for post-concussion syndrome 3-month after admission. The results between BAEP and CT were compared. The relationship between BAEP and degree of brainstem damage and prognosis were analysed. Result: The abnormal rate of SEP was 77.8%, which was higher than that of CT which was 44.4% ( P 0.05). The main abnormity of BAEP were Ⅲ-Ⅴ/ Ⅰ-Ⅲ1 and the delay of interpeak latency in Ⅲ-Ⅴ and Ⅰ-Ⅴ. Compared with the control group, Ⅴ PL and Ⅲ-Ⅴ IPL and Ⅰ-Ⅴ IPL were markedly delayed and the ratio of Ⅲ-Ⅴ/ Ⅰ-Ⅲ was markedly increased ( P 0.05). The abnormal BAEP latencies were significantly improved after treatment, although they remained prolonged. Before the treatment, the movement function grade in patients whose BAEP was abnormal was distinctly lower than that in patients whose BAEP was normal ( P 0.05). The rate of post-concussion syndrome in patients with abnormal BAEP was higher than that with normal BAEP examination in 3-month follow-up ( P 0.05). Conclusion: BAEP could detect brainstem dysfunction, not being visible by CT scans and provide evidences for prognosis and treatment effect.