title: [Newborn hearing screening test with multiple auditory steady-state responses].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The techniques most frequently used within a screening context (otoacoustic emissions and click auditory brainstem response) have well-known limitations in hearing loss detection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the feasibility of a semi-automated multiple auditory steady-state responses (MSSR) system designed for neonatal hearing screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 50 newborns without risk factors (well-babies) was tested within two weeks of birth. All had detectable auditory brainstem responses to clicks down to 40dB nHL in both ears. Two amplitude modulated carrier tones of 500 and 2,000Hz were mixed together and presented simultaneously. Each infant (and ear) was screened with the MSSR system; to simulate a hearing loss, a recording without stimulation was also obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean auditory thresholds were 42.5±7dB HL at 500Hz and 35.5±6dB HL at 2,000Hz. The average duration of the MSSR recording was 2.6±1.6 minutes for each tested ear and the overall duration of the screening procedure (including electrode fitting and infant preparation) was 17.8±3.7 minutes. The diagnostic sensibility and the positive predictive values of the MSSR semi-automatic screening system was 100% and 96% respectively, with specificity of 96% and negative predictive values of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the diagnostic efficiency of the semi-automated MSSR system was found adequate, further technological improvements are still necessary to facilitate its use in the context of universal newborn hearing screening program.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Audición y Lenguaje, Centro de Neurociencias de Cuba, Havana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Eleina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mijares Nodarse
authors.forename: Didiesle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herrera Alonso
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaya Vázquez
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santos Febles
authors.forename: María Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pérez Abalo
authors.forename: Leonel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mendez Alarcón
authors.forename: Regla
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robertson Terry
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012890:Sleep; D012984:Software