Effect of physiotherapy on the auditory evoked response of paralysed, sedated patients in the intensive care unit

Abstract

Auditory evoked response (AER) was recorded before, during and after physiotherapy in 11 paralysed (atracurium 0.56 (SD) 0.13 mg kg-1 h-1), sedated (propofol 2.2 (1.0) mg kg-1 h-1; fentanyl 4.4 (2.3) μg kg-1 h-1) and critically ill patients undergoing ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU). The latency of the negative wave, NB, was reduced by physiotherapy (mean 44.8 (SD) 7.9 ms before, 41.0 (6.8) ms during (P < 0.01, non-parametric Friedman test) and 45.6 (6.3) ms after physiotherapy) ;NB amplitude showed no consistent change (-0.81 (1.4) μV, -0.81 (1.5) μV and - 0.71 (1.3) μV, respectively). NB latency responded to patient arousal at constant levels of sedation and this requires further evaluation as a means of monitoring sedation in paralysed patients in the ICU. © 1992 British Journal Anaesthesia.