Serial brainstem auditory evoked responses in infants and children with AIDS

Fourteen infants and children with AIDS had serial BAER studies, with stimuli delivered at a frequency of 10 and 50 per second. The latencies of waves I, III, V and interpeak latencies I-III, III-V and I-V were measured, and their changes over time were calculated. A significant correlation was found between wave V latency and I-V interval on the left, obtained with a stimulation rate of 50/second, and the length of the follow-up period. There was a trend toward latency increases over time in 9 of the 14 patients. Two patients who had an increase of all wave latencies over time had the worst neurological involvement of all patients. There was no clear correlation between decrease of CD4/CD8 lymphocytes subset ratio and increase of BAER latencies. We conclude that serial BAER studies may be useful in the following of the progression of central nervous system involvement in infants and children with AIDS.