Presse Med
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Early somatosensory (ESEP) and auditory (EAEP) evoked potentials were recorded in 27 patients with severe coma (Glasgow score less than 5) following cardiorespiratory arrest, within the first 7 days of its course. Somatosensory responses were elicited by stimulation of the median nerve. ESEP were abolished in 17 patients due to a parietal thalamo-cortical lesion. ⋯ In 9 other patients scalp-recorded ESEP and EAEP were normal; all emerged from coma including 5 with good neurological recovery and 4 with neurological sequelae. Clinical, electroencephalographic and computerized tomographic data appeared to be devoid of predictive value at the same initial period. In view of their sensitivity to anoxia and to cerebral oedema, even with neurosedative drugs, ESEP seemed to be reliable in predicting outcomes and in evaluating central nervous system lesions at cortical and subcortical levels (basal ganglia and brainstem) after cardiorespiratory arrest.