title: Predictive value of electrophysiology in children with hypoxic coma.
abstract: Assessment of prognosis of children in hypoxic coma is difficult. The value of clinical evaluation is often limited. The usefulness of electrophysiologic tests has been documented mostly in adults and neonates and in cases of traumatic coma. We reviewed retrospectively 39 consecutive children with nontraumatic hypoxic coma to assess the prognostic value of EEG, visual, and auditory evoked potentials. Correlation between electrophysiology and neurologic outcome after mean follow-up period of 30 months was significant (r(s) = 0.6, P < 0.001). In contrast there was no correlation between Pediatric Risk of Mortality score (PRISM) and outcome (r(s) = -0.42, P = 0.8). Combining magnetic resonance imaging with electrophysiology further enhanced their prognostic value (r(s) = 0.69, P < 0.001). Neuroimaging was highly sensitive but less specific, and electrophysiologic tests were highly specific but less sensitive. We conclude that early electrophysiology can contribute to predicting outcome in pediatric hypoxic coma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's University Hospital Queen Fabiola, Brussels, Belgium
authors.forename: Leena D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Mewasingh
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Christophe
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fonteyne
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dachy
authors.forename: France
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ziereisen
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Christiaens
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deltenre
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Maertelaer
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003128:Coma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric