Auditory brainstem responses in patients with global cerebral insults

Seventeen patients with global cerebral insults were tested with the auditory brainstem response (ABR) in order to determine the technical feasibility of this test in an intensive care unit (ICU) and to assess its value as a prognostic tool. Some difficulty with artifact was encountered, but interpretable responses were obtained in 23 out of 24 tests performed on these patients. A prognosis based on the ABR was possible in 16 patients and was correct in 14. A prognosis based on a clinical evaluation was possible in only four patients and was accurate in three of those four cases. ABRs appear technically feasible in an ICU environment and yield valuable prognostic information on comatose patients.