title: The effect of preterm birth on vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preterm birth is a significant global health problem with serious short- and long-term consequences. This study examined the long term effects of preterm birth on vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) among preschool-aged children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one children with preterm and 20 children with term birth histories aged 5.5 to 6.5 years were studied. Each child underwent VEMPs testing using a 500 Hz tone-burst stimulus with a 95 dB nHL (normal hearing level) intensity level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean peak latencies of the p13 and n23 waves in the very preterm group were significantly longer than for the full-term group (p≤ 0.041). There was a significant difference between very and mildly preterm children in the latency of peak p13 (p= 0.003). No significant differences existed between groups for p13-n23 amplitude and the interaural amplitude difference ratio. The tested ear and gender did not affect the results of the test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prolonged VEMPs in very preterm children may reflect neurodevelopmental impairment and incomplete maturity of the vestibulospinal tract (sacculocollic reflex pathway), especially myelination. VEMPs is a non-invasive technique for investigating the vestibular function in young children, and considered to be an appropriate tool for evaluating vestibular impairments at the low brainstem level. It can be used in follow-ups of the long-term effects of preterm birth on the vestibular system.
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. z_eshaghi@razi.tums.ac.ir / Zahraeshaghi2011@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Eshaghi
authors.affiliation: 2. Associate Professor, Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Jafari.z@iums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Takfarhad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abdolreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaibanizadeh
authors.affiliation: 4. Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Jalaiesh@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jalaie
authors.affiliation: 5. Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, comprehensive woman Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Iran. azizeh.ghaseminejad@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Azizeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghaseminejad
keywords: Preterm birth; Sacculocollic reflex; Term birth; Vestibular evoked myogenic potential; Vestibulospinal tract