Somatosensory evoked potentials in very preterm infants

Clin Neurophysiol. 2000 May;111(5):901-8. doi: 10.1016/s1388-2457(00)00245-5.

Abstract

Objective: Cross-sectional and longitudinal reference values of cortical N(1) peak latency of the median nerve SEP in very preterm infants.

Methods: In infants in a placebo control group within an L-thyroxine supplementation trial, born at less than 30 weeks' gestation, cortical N(1) peak latency was measured at 2 weeks, at term and at 6 months corrected age. Cross-sectional N(1) latency values obtained in 50 infants and complete series of longitudinal values obtained in 15 infants were analyzed in relation to postmenstrual age (PMA).

Results: Mean N(1) latency decreased from 66 ms at 2 weeks to 38 ms at term and 20 ms at 6 months corrected age. Possible confounding factors did not have any significant effect on N(1) latency at 2 weeks or at term age except cranial ultrasound abnormalities at 2 weeks of age.

Conclusions: Longitudinal N(1) latency values were consistent with cross-sectional N(1) latency values. The observed N(1) latency at term and at 6 months corrected age suggest that extrauterine maturation of the somatosensory pathway in infants born at less than 30 weeks' gestation is delayed by extrauterine life.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / physiology*
  • Female
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature / physiology*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Median Nerve / physiology*
  • Placebos
  • Reaction Time
  • Reference Values
  • Thyroxine / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Placebos
  • Thyroxine