Relationship Between Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials and Clinical Function in Patients With Cerebral Infarction

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Clinical Neurophysiology

Background:

• Subacute ischemic stroke poses significant challenges for predicting patient outcomes.
• Early assessment tools are crucial for understanding stroke prognosis and guiding rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and clinical outcomes in patients with subacute ischemic stroke.
• To determine if BAEP latencies can predict functional status at discharge.

Main Methods:

• 210 ischemic stroke patients (MRI confirmed within 3 months) were analyzed.
• Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) latencies (waveforms I, III, V) were recorded and analyzed.
• Clinical outcomes were assessed using the modified Barthel index and NIHSS scores.

Main Results:

• Delayed BAEP latencies (I, III, V) on the lesion side correlated with worse functional outcomes (higher NIHSS, lower Barthel index).
• In patients with supratentorial lesions, delayed Wave V latency was linked to increased modified Barthel index severity.
• Multivariate analysis identified Wave V latency as a significant predictor of discharge outcome.

Conclusions:

• Delayed BAEP latencies in the early phase of ischemic stroke are associated with poor clinical outcomes at discharge.
• BAEP may serve as a valuable electrophysiological marker for predicting stroke recovery and functional prognosis.