title: Comparison of brainstem auditory evoked response at different click rates between preterm babies after neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and healthy preterm babies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is associated with an increased incidence of poor neurodevelopment. The knowledge of underlying neurophysiology is very limited, and the influence of NEC on the preterm brainstem is very poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of NEC on the immature auditory brainstem by excluding any possible confounding effect of preterm birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recorded and analyzed brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) at different click rates in preterm babies (30-34 weeks gestation) after NEC. The results were compared with those in age-matched healthy preterm babies who had no NEC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At click rate 21/s, the latencies of BAER waves I and III in the preterm NEC babies were similar to those babies without NEC. However, wave V latency was longer in the NEC babies than in those without NEC. The I-V interpeak interval was also longer in the NEC babies than in those without NEC. These abnormalities were persistent at higher click rates 51 and 91/s. Wave I amplitude in the preterm NEC babies did not differ significantly from that in those without NEC, but wave III and V amplitudes were smaller than in those without NEC at all 21-91/s clicks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with healthy preterm babies, preterm babies after NEC showed a major increase in wave V latency and I-V interval at all 21-91/s clicks. Brainstem auditory function is impaired in preterm NEC babies after excluding the possible confounding effect of preterm birth. Neonatal NEC and associated perinatal conditions adversely affect the premature brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Li L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.forename: Ze D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors