Multimodality evoked potentials in patients of heatstroke

Abstract

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) were recorded in 10 patients of heatstroke. Glasgow coma scale was used to assess level of consciousness. Values of either BAEP and/or SSEP were abnormal in all patients. Most consistent abnormalities of BAEP were delayed peak, latency of wave III & V and delayed IPL of III-V & I-V. The most consistent abnormality of SSEP were delayed absolute peak, latency of N20 and delayed IPL of N13-N20 (CCT). Distorted N20 was observed in 40 percent patients. The delay in conduction of electrical activities throughout the central nervous system in the patients, resulting in abnormal values of either BAEP and/or SSEP probably due to cerebral oedema with extensive parenchymatous degeneration of cells in brain, either from hyperpyrexia per se or from petechial haemorrhage in the brain, as reported on autopsy material by earlier workers.