title: Asymmetric brain stem auditory evoked responses in infants treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
abstract: Brain stem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were obtained in 25 infants who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for severe respiratory failure. Tracings were obtained by means of a Nicolet CA-2000 averager, using a conventional paradigm. The presence or absence of replicated responses at 35 and 75 dB nHL were recorded for each ear. Interpeak latencies I-III, III-V, and I-V were measured and differences between right and left ears were compared, using a matched pair t-test. Wave III-V latencies were longer on the left than right (p less than 0.05), but no significant right-left differences for latencies I-III were noted. Sixteen percent of the infants failed hearing sensitivity criteria, 45% (10/23) had prolonged I-V latencies. At follow-up (age 4 to 12 months) 6/10 infants with prolonged I-V latencies had additional neurologic abnormalities. In this population left ear III-V latencies are prolonged versus right, and the incidence of abnormal BAERs is high. Relative prolongation of left ear III-V latencies (generated from the right brain stem) may be result of right carotid artery and/or jugular vein ligation for ECMO, and abnormal I-V latencies prognosticate future neurologic abnormalities in this population.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor.
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Schumacher
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Spak
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: Kileny
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery; D008026:Ligation / Q000009:adverse effects