Brain stem auditory evoked responses and visual evoked responses in children with tubercular meningitis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Tubercular meningitis (TBM) is a severe infection affecting the central nervous system in children.
• Neurological complications are common in TBM, impacting patient outcomes.
• Evoked potentials, such as BAER and VER, are objective measures of neural pathway function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) and visual evoked response (VER) in assessing neurological function in pediatric patients with tubercular meningitis.
• To determine the prevalence of BAER and VER abnormalities in this patient group.
• To correlate evoked potential abnormalities with clinical parameters and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two pediatric patients (6 months to 14 years) diagnosed with tubercular meningitis were enrolled.
• Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) and visual evoked response (VER) tests were performed within 7 days of admission.
• Absolute and interpeak latencies were compared to normative data from healthy children.

Main Results:

• Abnormalities were detected in 56.25% of patients for BAER and 28% for VER.
• BAER abnormalities showed significant correlations with Glasgow Coma Scale scores (admission and discharge), meningitis stage, intracranial pressure, seizures, and poor outcomes.
• VER abnormalities were solely correlated with abnormal fundus findings.

Conclusions:

• BAER is a sensitive tool for detecting neurological dysfunction in pediatric tubercular meningitis and serves as a valuable prognostic indicator.
• VER abnormalities are less frequent and have a weaker correlation with overall clinical status compared to BAER.
• Evoked potential testing can aid in the comprehensive neurological assessment and management of children with TBM.