BAEPS IN INFANTS WITH MYELOMENINGOCELE AND LATER DEVELOPMENT OF CHIARI-II MALFORMATION-RELATED BRAIN-STEM DYSFUNCTION

Thirty-seven infants with myelomeningocele received brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) at a median age of eight days. No infant ha d brainstem dysfunction at the time of testing. Median follow-up was a t 30 months. Of 12 infants who subsequently developed brainstem dysfun ction at a median age of three months, 11 had had abnormal neonatal BA EPs. In contrast, only 10 of 25 infants who did not develop brainstem dysfunction had abnormal BAEPs. The mean average I-V interpeak latenci es was greater among those who developed symptoms than among those who did not. Neonatal BAEPs can identify a group of asymptomatic infants with myelomeningocele who need close follow-up for the subsequent deve lopment of brainstem dysfunction.