Acoustic nerve conduction abnormalities in Guillain-Barré syndrome.

We recorded brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) in two patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). One patient was acutely deaf with total absence of BAEP waveforms indicative of acoustic nerve conduction block. Hearing improved during early convalescence, and there were prolonged wave I latencies. Normal BAEPs were recorded on recovery. A second patient had bilaterally prolonged wave I latencies. These BAEP findings suggest that acoustic nerve conduction abnormalities from demyelination may occur in GBS.