Purpose: Brainstem structure is frequently involved in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we aimed to compare the sensitivities of BAEP and MRI in detecting the brainstem lesions in the cases diagnosed as definitive MS with and without brainstem involvement.
Method: A total of 50 cases (35 females and 15 males) with definitive MS with their history and clinical evaluation (mean age: 33.9±9.59, range: 18-57 years) were included in this study. Patients with brainstem involvement as group 1 and cases without brainstem involvement as group 2 were separated into two groups. Thirty-five similarly age-matched healthy subjects were taken as the control group. MRI and BAEP were performed in the cases included in this study. I., III. and V. wave peak latencies, and I-III, I-V, and III-V inter peak latencies (IPLs) were determined.
Results: Of the total 50 MS patients, 26% had plaques in brainstem in the MRI and 88% had abnormalities in BAEP evaluation. BAEP abnormalities were V. wave absolute latency in 60%, III-V IPL in 74% and in 62% I-V IPLs of patients. In the comparison of patients and controls, the V. wave absolute latency and III-V, I-V IPLs were significantly prolonged in the patients (p < 0.001 for all).
Brainstem plaques in MRI were obtained in 33.3% and BAEP abnormalities were recorded in 83.3% patients in group 1. Abnormalities were determined in BAEP of the 100% MS cases in group 2; and additionally 7.1% cases showed a plaque in brainstem in MRI. In the comparison of MS patients with and without brainstem involvement, the differences were significant between in terms of BAEP and MRI findings (p < 0.001 for all).
Conclusion: Our results indicated that BAEP is relatively more sensitive than MRI in the detection of brainstem dysfunction, with or without any clinical findings in MS cases.
Key Words: Multiple sclerosis, Brainstem auditory evoked potentials, Magnetic resonance imaging
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