BAEPs and SEPs are non invasive testes which could use to clarify the effect of cyanosis on CNS in infants with congenital heart diseases. The absolute latency of wave III was prolonged in both cyanotic and acyanotic infants and the I-III inter-peak latency were also prolonged in the cyanotic group compared to control group. The previous changes could not be correlated to the presence of heart failure or chest infection, but were significantly correlated to neurological affection in the cyanotic group. The conduction time of the SEPs thalamic wave was delayed in the cyanotic group only but was not correlated to neurological affection, heart failure or chest infection. There is a significant negative correlation between EF% and wave V latency in BAEPs and between the EF% and the cortical latency in SEPs as well as between O2 saturation and Erb's potential latency in the cyanotic group which indicate that both chronic hypoxemia and poor contractility of the cardiac muscles may play a role in retarded brain stem maturation as a result of retardation in the myelination process of the brain stem.

(Egypt J. Neurol. Psychiat. Neurosurg., 2005, 42(1): 165-175).