Brainstem auditory evoked response in tuberculous meningitis.

Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) abnormalities in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) were determined in 50 cases of tuberculous meningitis (36 male and 14 female) and 50 normal healthy children. Fifty six per cent cases had abnormal BAER findings. The commonest BAER abnormality observed in 32% was a combination of prolonged latency and prolonged interval while unilateral and bilateral absent response was observed in 4% cases. Prolonged latency was observed in 16% patients. Seizure activities, modified glasgow coma scale (GCS), raised intracranial pressure (ICP) and TBM stage III were significantly correlated with abnormal BAER, while age, sex, duration of illness, depressed sensorium, neurological deficit and CSF findings did not have a significant correlation with abnormal BAER. Follow up could be done in ten patients only. All the three patients with only prolonged latency had a normal BAER on follow up, two out of four patients with prolonged latency and prolonged interval had normalization of BAER while in three patients, initial as well as follow up BAER was normal. The present study shows that BAER abnormalities are observed in more than fifty per cent of the patients of tuberculous meningitis.