ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the extremity function of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)using short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and a modified intracerebral hemorrhage (MICH) scale.Methods On admission, SEP was applied in the examination of 61 patients with ICH. P40 latency and the amplitude of posterior tibial nerve potentials in both the healthy and affected extremities were measured. Abnormalities were classified based on the margin of lower extremity SEP latency and the main waveform changes. MICH was measured simultaneously to prepare a prognosis. The modified Rankin scale (MRS) score was assessed 3 months after the attack as well.Results Compared with the healthy side, there were significant differences in posterior tibial nerve P40 latency and amplitude on the affected side among patients with ICH. P40 latency and MRS scores on the affected side 3 months after the attack were positively correlated. On the unaffected side, P40 amplitude and the MRS score 3 months after the attack were negatively correlated. The MICH score on admission and the MRS score 3 months after the attack were positively correlated. Based on MRS scores (MRS≥4 indicating a poor prognosis), the predictive sensitivities for a poor prognosis of SEP and the MICH scale in patients with ICH were 80.77% and 84.61% respectively, while the specificities were 62.68% and 88.57% respectively, and the accordance rates were 70.5% and 86.9% respectively. Conclusions SEP and the MICH scale are closely correlated with the prognosis for extremity function in patients with ICH.The combination of SEP with the MICH scale might be helpful in predicting the prognosis of the patients with ICH.