Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SEP) in Term Newborns with Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Aim: The aim of this work was o evaluate the diagnostic value of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) in newborns developing perinatal HIE. Patients and Methods: Our prospective study included ten healthy newborns (postconceptional age 38–41 weeks) and ten asphyxiated infants (postconceptional age 38–42 weeks). Perinatal asphyxia was defined as umbilical artery pH -10 mmol/l and development of HIE which was evaluated according to the criteria of Sarnat et al. (1976). SEP were performed at the median chronological age of 8.5 days (controls) and 6.0 days (asphyxia group). Cortical responses were recorded at C 3'/…