title: [On the reliability of brainstem electric response audiometry (BERA)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brainstem electric response audiometries (BERA) are in clinical use for a number of years. The aim of our study was to evaluate data regarding the long-term reliability of BERA-determined frequency specific thresholds in hearing disabled children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a group of 97 hearing disabled children we sought to compare Notched-Noise- (NN) BERA threshold as well as Click-BERA thresholds taken shortly after birth with behavioral audiometry thresholds determined after 3.2 years (mean).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a significant correlation between both BERA methods and the behavioral tests. However, the correlation coefficients for NN-BERA were higher than for Click-BERA thresholds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide evidence for a high reliability of the NN-BERA for characterization of early onset hearing disabilities in children. Our data suggest that pathologic findings in the Click-BERA should always be followed by a frequency specific analysis with NN-BERA.
authors.affiliation: Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renne
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olthoff
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046089:Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies