J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2001 Oct;44(10):1162-1167.

Evoked Potentials and Cranial Ultrasonography as a Prognostic Method in Newborn with Asphyxia

• Kim HJ
• Kang H
• Choi BM
• Yoo KH
• Lee JW
• Kim SK

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at finding a diagnostic tool which is useful in predicting the neurologic outcome of the asphyxiated newborns.
METHODS
31 newborns with asphyxia were evaluated by brainstem evoked potentials and cranial ultrasonography(CUS). During the neonatal follow-up, we evaluated the development of the babies with Bayley Scale of Infant Development II and INFANIB on corrected age of 14 months.
RESULTS
The positive prognostic value of cranial ultrasonography was 72.5% and the negative predictive value was 75.0%. Auditory evoked potential(AEP) showed poor prognostic accuracy in comparison to visual evoked potential(VEP) which showed best prognostic value(85.7%) and somatosensory evoked potential(SEP) with best negative prognostic value(81.3%).
CONCLUSION
We would like to emphasize that combined modalities such as SEP snd CUS were more accurate in predicting neurologic outcomes of asphyxiated newborns than evoked potential or CUS read independently. SEP and CUS combination was useful in predicting neurologic outcome of asphyxiated newborn as well as VEP and SEP.

Keyword

Asphyxia; Evoked potential; Ultrasonography

MeSH Terms

Asphyxia*
Brain Stem
Child
Child Development
Evoked Potentials*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Infant, Newborn*
Ultrasonography*