title: Auditory pathway maturational study in small for gestational age preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To follow up the maturation of the auditory pathway in preterm infants small for gestational age (SGA), through the study of absolute and interpeak latencies of auditory brainstem response (ABR) in the first six months of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicentric prospective cross-sectional and longitudinal study assessed 76 newborn infants, 35 SGA and 41 appropriate for gestational age (AGA), born between 33 and 36 weeks in the first evaluation. The ABR was carried out in three moments (neonatal period, three months and six months). Twenty-nine SGA and 33 AGA (62 infants), between 51 and 54 weeks (corrected age), returned for the second evaluation. In the third evaluation, 49 infants (23 SGA and 26 AGA), with age range from 63 to 65 weeks (corrected age), were assessed. The bilateral presence of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions and normal tympanogram were inclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found interaural symmetry in both groups. The comparison between the two groups throughout the three periods studied showed no significant differences in the ABR parameters, except for the latencies of wave III in the period between three and six months. As for the maturation with tone burst 0.5 and 1 kHz, it was found that the groups did not differ.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that, in the premature infants, the maturational process of the auditory pathway occurs in a similar rate for SGA and AGA. These results also suggest that prematurity is a more relevant factor for the maturation of the auditory pathway than birth weight.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosanna Giaffredo
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Angrisani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edna Maria Albuquerque
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guinsburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Archanjo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marisa Frasson de
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Gentile
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Matas
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; 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; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies