Visual evoked potential in the newborn: does it have predictive value?

We reviewed studies on the predictive value of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in the newborn. VEPs demonstrated a good correlation with neurodevelopmental outcome in full-term infants with birth asphyxia. However, their prognostic value in preterm infants is controversial. In preterm infants, most studies showed high specificities for neurodevelopmental outcome, but some studies demonstrated lower sensitivities.