Applying boostrap techniques to detect differences in auditory evoked potentials: Possible use in anaesthesia monitoring

This paper extends the use of the bootstrap method to detect significant differences between Auditory Evoked Potentials with the potential application of detecting changes due to anaesthesia. Monte-Carlo simulation confirmed the expected false positive rate for the technique. Recordings were made from normal hearing volunteers and patients undergoing anaesthesia using a number of stimulation paradigms. Although small differences in Evoked Potentials appear to the eye, these were not always found to be statistically significant which depends on both the magnitude of the difference and the quality of the recordings. Preliminary effects during anaesthesia are described.