Evaluation of Latencies and Interpeak Latencies of BAEP Waves in COPD Patients.

The present study is carried out to assess brainstem auditory evoked potentials in patients of COPD and to evaluate effects of COPD on it before any clinical signs and symptoms of auditory impairment appear. This early diagnosis will help in maintaining a better quality of life in patients of COPD. Study includes 100 individuals divided in two groups, study group (n=50) and controls (n=50). Study group consist of COPD patients those had duration of COPD for more than 5 years with stable course of disease. Latency of wave 1, 111, IV, Vwere prolonged in cases compared to controls in right ear and left ear. The difference is statistically significant (p value <0.05). Right ear interpeak latencies of 1-111, Ill-V and I-V were increased with statistical significance among cases compared to controls (p value <0.05). In left ear, interpeak latencies of I-l1l and I-V were statistically more (p value <0.05) in case group compared to control group. The subclinical BAEP impairment in patients of COPD was due to the severity of airflow obstruction which causes chronic hypoxemia. The progressive chronic hypoxemia leads to development of tissue hypoxia and decreases the cerebral Derfusion; also it slows the nerve conduction in auditory pathway which causes prolongation of latency.