Breath-holding spells may be associated with maturational delay in myelination of brain stem.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate possible contribution of maturational delay of brain stem in the etiology of breath-holding spells in children using brain stem auditory evoked potentials.


METHODS
The study group included children who experienced breath-holding spells. The control group consisted of healthy age- and sex-matched children. Age, gender, type and frequency of spell, hemoglobin, and ferritin levels in study group and brain stem auditory evoked potentials results in both groups were recorded. Study group was statistically compared with control group for brain stem auditory evoked potentials.


RESULTS
The mean age of study and control groups was 26.3 ± 14.6 and 28.9 ± 13.9 months, respectively. The III-V and I-V interpeak latencies were significantly prolonged in the study group compared with the control group (2.07 ± 0.2 milliseconds; 1.92 ± 0.13 milliseconds and 4.00 ± 0.27 milliseconds; 3.83 ± 0.19 milliseconds; P = 0.009 and P = 0.03, respectively). At the same time, III-V and I-V interpeak latencies of patients without anemia in the study group compared with those of control group were significantly prolonged (2.09 ± 0.24 milliseconds; 1.92 ± 0.13 milliseconds and 4.04 ± 0.28 milliseconds; 3.83 ± 0.19 milliseconds; P = 0.007 and P = 0.01, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results consider that maturational delay in myelination of brain stem may have a role in the etiology of breath-holding spells in children.
*Department of Pediatric Neurology and †Department of Pediatrics, Gulhane Military Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey; ‡Department of Pediatrics, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey; §Department of Neurology and ‖Department of Biochemistry, Gulhane Military Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
Sebahattin
S
Vurucu
Abdulbaki
A
Karaoglu
Sukru M
SM
Paksu
Oguzhan
O
Oz
Halil
H
Yaman
Mustafa
M
Gulgun
Oguzhan
O
Babacan
Bulent
B
Unay
Ridvan
R
Akin
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D062485:Breath Holding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology*