A comparison of auditory brain stem evoked potentials in hyperlipidemics and normolipemic subjects.

Twenty-five hyperlipidemic, neurologically and audiologically asymptomatic patients were compared to 20 normolipemic control subjects regarding different interpeak latency differences (IPLD) of auditory brain stem evoked potentials (ABEP). ABEP were recorded in response to click stimuli presented at a rate of 10/sec and 55/sec. The net effect of increasing stimulus rate (ISR) on IPLD of ABEP was significantly greater in the hyperlipidemic patients for IPLD (V-I) and IPLD (III-I). ISR of ABEP indicates a trend of subclinical impairments of brain stem function in hyperlipidemic patients, probably due to ischemia accelerated by their condition.