Abstract: ObjectiveTo evaluate central nervous system function of patients with coronary cardiac diease by short latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP).MethodsThe cerebral and spinal somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded by stimulating median nerve in 43 patients with coronary cardiac disease but without apparent nervous symptoms and 14 healthy control subjects.ResultsThe lactency periods and central conductive time of N13, N20 and P25 wave were significantly prolonged in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or angina pectoris (AP) when compared with normal controls (P<0.05～0.001). The lactency periods and central conductive time of N20 and P25 wave recorded in MI patients were longer than those recorded in AP patients (P<0.01～0.001).ConclusionThe subclinical nervous damages in the central somatosensory pathway from spinal cord to cerebral cortex is present in patients with coronary cardiac disease especially myocardial infarction.

Key words: ischemic cardiac disease, short latency somatosensory evoked potentials, central conductive time, central nervous system disease