Goodwin et al correlated outcome with evoked potentials in comatose adults and children. This help separate patients into good or poor outcome groups. The authors are from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Evoked potentials used:
(1) brainstem-auditory evoked potentials
(2) somatosensory-evoked potentials
Types of brainstem-auditory evoked potentials (page 519):
(1) normal
(2) abnormal (if the I to III interpeak latency, I to V interpeak latency, or I/V amplitude ratio exceeded the mean value by more than 3 standard deviations)
(3) absent with wave I
(4) absent without wave I
where:
• Wave I indicates that an electrical signal is transmitted to the CNS
Types of somatosensory evoked potentials (page 519):
(1) normal
(2) abnormal (if the time from the C-2 response to the cortical response time exceeded the mean value by more than 3 standard deviations).
(3) absent
Brainstem-Auditory EP |
Somatosensory EP |
Outcome |
normal |
normal |
optimistic |
normal |
absent |
chronic vegetative state |
abnormal |
absent |
chronic vegetative state or death |
absent without wave I |
absent |
chronic vegetative state or death |
absent with wave I |
NA |
death |
normal |
abnormal |
uncertain |
abnormal |
normal or abnormal |
uncertain |
absent without wave I |
normal or abnormal |
uncertain |
from Figure 1, page 523
Specialty: Neurology