Comparison of the prognostic utility of VEPs and SEPs in comatose children.

Visual evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in 37 children in coma soon after admission and then repeatedly during coma and emergence from coma. Evoked potentials were graded in 4 categories, ranging from normal to absent, and then related to patient outcome. Somatosensory evoked potentials were reliable predictors of outcome, particularly if both the initial and early repeated somatosensory evoked potentials were considered. Visual evoked potentials were not as reliable predictors as somatosensory evoked potentials; however, the presence or absence of both was significantly related to outcome. These data are generally consistent with the adult literature. We suggest that somatosensory evoked potentials be the evoked potential of choice in evaluating the prognosis of comatose children.