title: [Value of lower-limb short latency somatosensory evoked potentials in predicting early death in patients with massive cerebral infarction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the value of lower-limb short latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SLSEP) in predicting early death in patients with massive cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients of massive cerebral infarction were admitted in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit (NICU) between March 2008 and March 2009, and Glasgow-Pittsburgh coma scale (GPCS) and SLSEP were recorded and graded within 24 h after admission. The patients were divided into survival and death groups (including brain death) according to their short-term prognosis. The correlations of SLSEP and GPCS to the mortality were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant correlation was found between SLSEP and the mortality in patients with massive cerebral infarction (r=0.484, P<0.001). The positive predictive value of the SLSEP grade 3 to death was 100%, and the patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (mMCAI) appeared to have a 100% mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLSEP grade 3 can be a highly specificity in predicting early death in patients with massive cerebral infarction, and it is also of value in determining the timing of surgical intervention of mMCAI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. acheng5590470@163.com
authors.forename: Wei-cheng
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Su-yue
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zheng-hao
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yong-ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Li-fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001926:Brain Death / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003422:Critical Care; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged