Brain-stem auditory function in very preterm infants with chronic lung disease: delayed neural conduction.
OBJECTIVE
To examine brain-stem auditory function at term in very preterm infants who suffered chronic lung disease (CLD).


METHODS
Brain-stem auditory evoked response (BAER) was recorded at term with clicks in 25 very preterm infants with CLD and no concomitant other major perinatal problems.


RESULTS
Compared to those in normal term controls, BAER wave V latency and I-V and III-V interpeak intervals in the CLD infants increased significantly (ANOVA P<0.01-0.001). III-V/I-III interval ratio also increased significantly (P<0.01). The latencies of waves I and III did not differ significantly from the controls. However, no abnormalities were found in BAER wave amplitudes. These BAER findings, obtained at 21/s clicks, were also seen at the rates 51 and 91/s, although the increase in III-V interval tended to be more significant. Click rate-dependent changes in BAER variables in the CLD infants were generally similar to the controls, with slight differences.


CONCLUSIONS
BAER components, mainly reflecting central auditory function, increased significantly. The increase in wave V latency and I-V interval is due to the increase in III-V interval.


CONCLUSIONS
Neural conduction in the more central portion of the brain-stem auditory pathway is delayed and thus brain-stem auditory function is impaired in CLD infants.
Jiang
Ze D
ZD
Children's Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai, China. zedong.jiang@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
Brosi
Dorothea M
DM
Wilkinson
Andrew R
AR
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects