[Multimodal evoked potentials and heart rate variability in comatose patients--1: Method of measuring and normal values].

Multimodal EPs and heart rate variability-measurements in comatose patients have been performed for few years at the university hospitals of Graz and Erlangen. The following data and parameters are analysed and discussed: brainstem auditory evoked potentials, mechanical evoked long-latency SEP, VEP recorded over the central and occipital region and heart rate variability (HRV). The method of data acquisition and processing is described and normative data are introduced. For the long-latency EP-components a signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) is calculated. SNR is defined as ratio of the largest EP peak-to-peak amplitude and the mean amplitude (standard deviation) of a period prior to the stimulation. An unmeasurable or questionable EP is defined when SNR less than 2.6. For the vertex-SEP the following mean +/- standard deviation was obtained: SNR = 10.6 +/- 4.6; the vertex VEP was calculated with SNR = 7.0 +/- 3.0. The SNR of the bipolar recorded occipitally VEP was 3.9 +/- 2.0. Heart rate variability measurements in normal persons revealed the following mean +/- standard deviation at a heart rate of 67.8/min +/- 10.8/min: HRV = 7.8% +/- 2.5%.