[The use of evoked potentials in the follow-up and prognosis of patients in coma following severe traumatic brain injury]. / Utilización de potenciales evocados en el seguimiento y pronóstico de pacientes en coma por traumatismo craneoencefálico grave.

INTRODUCTION: When dealing with patients in coma, it can be very useful to have early access to objective tests that provide information about their clinical status and can help to establish a prognosis for survival and functional recovery. The value of evoked potentials (EP) in such cases is already well known, although only techniques that assess the neurological status have been used. AIM: To determine the usefulness of different types of evoked potentials as a means of reaching a short and medium term prognosis for survival and functional recovery in patients in coma as a result of traumatic brain injury (TBI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study involved patients with an admission Glasgow coma score of 8 or below due to severe TBI. During the first 24 hours the following tests were carried out on patients: somatosensory EP (SSEP), brainstem auditory EP, visual EP (VEP) obtained using stimulation goggles and mismatch negativity, as well as an imaging test (computerised axial tomography). The tests were repeated at one week and one month, and each patient was evaluated by means of the Glasgow scale and the Karnofsky scale. RESULTS: We studied 22 patients (mean age: 39.95 years; interval: 15-84 years), 20 of them were males. The highest number of deaths occurred during the first week. There was a strong correlation between survival and the results from the SSEP and VEP. CONCLUSIONS: SSEP and VEP performed on admission were a valuable aid for reaching a short and medium term prognosis for survival of patients in coma due to TBI, although they were not effective in evaluating a prognosis for functional recovery.

Utilización de potenciales evocados en el seguimiento y pronóstico de pacientes en coma por traumatismo craneoencefálico grave / The use of evoked potentials in the follow-up and prognosis of patients in coma following severe traumatic brain injury

Introducción. En los pacientes en coma es útil disponer desde un primer momento de pruebas objetivas que nos informen del estado clínico y nos sirvan de ayuda para establecer un pronóstico vital y funcional. El valor de los potenciales evocados (PE) en estos casos es ya conocido, aunque la mayoría de los estudios se centran sólo en algunos tipos de potenciales, valorando únicamente el estado neurológico en ese momento. Objetivo. Determinar el valor pronóstico vital y funcional a corto y medio plazo de los distintos tipos de potenciales evocados en pacientes en coma secundario a traumatismo craneoencefálico (TCE). Pacientes y métodos. Pacientes con un Glasgow de ingreso igual o inferior a 8 debido a un TCE grave. En las primeras 24 horas se les realizaron PE somatosensitivos (PESS) de nervio mediano, PE auditivos de tronco, PE visuales (PEV) obtenidos con estimulador goggles y mismatch negativity, además de una prueba de imagen (tomografía axial computarizada). Las pruebas se repitieron a la semana y al mes, y se valoró a cada paciente mediante la escala de Glasgow y la escala de Karnofsky. Resultados. Estudiamos 22 pacientes (media: 39,95 años; intervalo: 15-84 años), 20 de ellos varones. Durante la primera semana se produjo el mayor número de fallecimientos. Existió una fuerte correlación entre la supervivencia y los resultados obtenidos con PESS y PEV. Conclusión. Los PESS y PEV realizados al ingreso son de gran utilidad para la valoración pronóstica vital a corto y medio plazo del paciente en coma por TCE, sin llegar a mostrar eficacia en la valoración pronóstica funcional

Introduction. When dealing with patients in coma, it can be very useful to have early access to objective tests that provide information about their clinical status and can help to establish a prognosis for survival and functional recovery. The value of evoked potentials (EP) in such cases is already well known, although only techniques that assess the neurological status have been used. Aim. To determine the usefulness of different types of evoked potentials as a means of reaching a short and medium term prognosis for survival and functional recovery in patients in coma as a result of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Patients and methods. Our study involved patients with an admission Glasgow coma score of 8 or below due to severe TBI. During the first 24 hours the following tests were carried out on patients: somatosensory EP (SSEP), brainstem auditory EP, visual EP (VEP) obtained using stimulation goggles and mismatch negativity, as well as an imaging test (computerised axial tomography). The tests were repeated at one week and one month, and each patient was evaluated by means of the Glasgow scale and the Karnofsky scale. Results.We studied 22 patients (mean age: 39.95 years; interval: 15-84 years), 20 of them were males. The highest number of deaths occurred during the first week. There was a strong correlation between survival and the results from the SSEP and VEP. Conclusions. SSEP and VEP performed on admission were a valuable aid for reaching a short and medium term prognosis for survival of patients in coma due to TBI, although they were not effective in evaluating a prognosis for functional recovery