title: Longitudinal electrophysiological study of auditory pathway in small for gestational age infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To follow the maturation of the auditory pathway of infants born small for gestational age term, by studying absolute and interpeak latencies of Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) in the first six months of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicentric prospective longitudinal study. The ABR was carried out in the neonatal period in 96 newborn infants, 49 small for gestational age (SGA) and 47 appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Of these, 77 infants (39 SGA and 38 AGA) returned for a second evaluation. In the third evaluation, 70 infants (35 SGA and 35 AGA) returned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SGA and AGA did not present significant differences in the neonatal period and at three months of life. However, at six months, there was statistical significant difference between SGA and AGA groups for the latencies of wave III and interpeak I-III. Latencies of ABR waves decreased more rapidly in the first three months than the third to the sixth month of life for the SGA. AGA group showed progressive decrease in latency of ABR waves during the six months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that, for SGA infants, the maturational process of the auditory pathway occurs in different rate when compared to AGA infants. The SGA infants have faster maturation especially at the first three months of life, while in infants AGA, this process occurred in a constant and gradual way throughout the six months studied.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosanna Giaffredo
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Angrisani
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edna Maria Albuquerque
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guinsburg
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Archanjo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marisa Frasson de
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Gentile
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Matas
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002657:Child Development; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male