High frequency oscillations may improve somatosensory evoked potential detection of good outcomes in disorders of consciousness secondary to acute neurologic injury

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are highly specific predictors of poor prognosis in hypoxic-ischemic coma when cortical responses (N20s) are absent. However, bilateral N20 presence is nonspecific for good outcomes. High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the SEP waveform predict neurologic recovery in animals, but clinical applications are poorly understood. We sought to develop a clinical measure of HFOs to potentially improve detection of good outcomes in coma.