Assessing the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials in Subjects with Family History of Hypertension

BACKGROUND: Hypertension (HTN) has a genetic predisposition and it also impairs microcirculation, thereby, affecting the well vascularized structures like the brainstem and causing changes in Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials (BAEPs).

PURPOSE: To find out the usefulness of BAEPs as a screening tool in apparently healthy individuals with a family history of HTN.

METHODS: One hundred and ten volunteers, aged 17 to 23 years, were enrolled in the study as participants with proper consent.

After excluding the subjects with existing diseases or co-morbidities (e.g. diabetes, HTN, schizophrenia, neuropathy, etc.), those on ototoxic or neurotoxic drugs, a preliminary physical examination was performed, following which BAEPs were recorded with a proper device.

Statistical analysis is done with SPSS 2016 software using the chi-square test.

RESULTS: A consistent distortion in the inter-peak latency of III-V waves is noted when a family history of HTN is present in either parent or maternal grandparents.

Other statistically significant findings are present in V/I% (HTN in mother), wave I (HTN in paternal grandfather), wave III (HTN in maternal grandfather), and inter-peak latency I-V (HTN in maternal grandmother).

CONCLUSION: BAEP may be used as a screening tool in individuals with a family history of HTN with supportive evidence from further studies in the near future.