Relationship between brainstem auditory function during the neonatal period and depressed Apgar score.
OBJECTIVE
To understand whether infants with depressed Apgar scores are at high risk of brainstem auditory impairment, we examined the relationship between brainstem auditory function during the neonatal period and depressed Apgar score.


METHODS
Brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were recorded from day 1 to day 30 in 145 term infants with Apgar scores < or = 6.


RESULTS
For 1-min Apgar score none of BAER response wave latencies and interpeak intervals during the first 15 days correlated significantly with the score. On day 30, all wave latencies but no intervals correlated negatively with the score (all p < 0.05). For 5-min Apgar score, only on day 3 wave V latency and I-V and III-V intervals correlated negatively with the score (all p < 0.05). For 10-min Apgar score, only III-V interval correlated negatively with the score (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between BAER variables on any other days and 5 and 10-min Apgar scores. Wave V latency and I-V and III-V intervals on day 3 were all significantly longer in infants with 5-min Apgar scores < or = 6 than in those with scores > 6.


CONCLUSIONS
During the neonatal period, only on day 3 after birth a depressed 5-min Apgar score is an indicator associated with central auditory impairment. A depressed 1-min score may be associated with later peripheral auditory impairment.
Jiang
Ze Dong
ZD
Neonatal Unit, Department of Paediatrics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. zedong.jiang@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk
Wilkinson
Andrew Robert
AR
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001034:Apgar Score; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors