Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential Changes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Individuals

COPD is a disease characterized by airflow limitation and is not fully reversible. Cigarette smoke can induce inflammation and directly damage the lungs. It is a major public health problem and currently fourth leading cause of death worldwide. COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a click stimulus that generates a response from the hair cells of the cochlea, the signal travels along the auditory pathway from the cochlear nuclear complex to the inferior colliculus in mid brain generates wave I to wave V. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) are the potentials recorded from the ear and vertex in response to a brief auditory stimulation to assess the conduction through auditory pathway up to midbrain. The eighth cranial nerve and brain functions are impaired in COPD patients. BAEP is a valuable tool to evaluate the auditory involvement in COPD patient AIM: To study the BAEP abnormalities in stable COPD patients.OBJECTIVE: To compare the BAEP abnormalities in stable COPD patients with age matched control. Materials and Methods: 30 male COPD subjects who were chronic smokers are recruited from medicine OPD.30 age matched non smokers healthy volunteers served as the control group from master health check up. BERA recording was done in Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Stanley Medical College using POLYRITE MEDICAID-Neuroperfect Plus. Parameters taken: latencies of wave I,II,III,IV,V. Statistical analysis done by student independent ‘t’ test, p value < 0.00 considered as significant. Results: the latencies of waves III,IV,V where prolonged in COPD patients. Conclusion: BAEP can be used as a tool to detect earlier the neurological involvement in COPD patiens.