An evaluation of hearing maturation by means of auditory brainstem response in very low birthweight and preterm newborns.
A group of very low birthweight and/or preterm newborns has been studied and compared with a control group of healthy at term newborns, in order to evaluate hearing maturation processes by means of ABR. The wave-latencies have been found significantly higher in the study group, while no difference could be found in inter-peak latencies (IPL). Further, the study group has been split up in order to analyze the possible influence of variables like birthweight, cranial circumference, APGAR score and modality of delivery on ABR latencies. Basing upon these evaluations, it appears difficult to present clear cut conclusions, since ABR latencies' behaviour seems to be related to individual maturative variables and fails to produce an unequivocal model of maturation.
Samani
F
F
ENT Department, Istituto per l'Infanzia, Trieste, Italy.
Peschiulli
G
G
Pastorini
S
S
Fior
R
R
D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology