title: Mild maturational delay of the brainstem at term in late preterm small-for-gestation age babies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect any functional abnormality in the brainstem auditory pathway in late preterm babies born of small-for-gestational age (SGA) using maximum length sequence brainstem evoked response.
  
  
  METHODS
  The response was recorded and analyzed at term in 38 SGA (birthweight <3rd centile) babies born at 33-36 week gestation. The results were compared with 40 age-matched babies born of appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) (birthweight >10th centile). None of the subjects had major perinatal problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All wave latencies and interpeak intervals in the SGA group were slightly longer than those in the AGA group at most click rates. Wave III latency was significantly longer than that in the AGA group at 227/s (P < 0.05), and wave V latency was at 227 and 910/s (P < 0.05 and 0.05). Of the interpeak intervals, only the I-V interval in the SGA group was significantly longer than that in the AGA group at the highest rate 910/s (P < 0.05). The amplitudes of waves I, III and V in the SGA group all tended to be smaller than those in the AGA group at all click rates 91-910/s. The wave V amplitude was significantly smaller at most click rates (227-910/s, all P < 0.05). The slopes of all wave latency-, interval-, and amplitude-rate functions were similar in SGA and AGA groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were marginal abnormalities in MLS BAER of low-risk late preterm SGA babies, suggesting a mild degree of maturational delay in the brainstem. Intrauterine growth retardation occurring in late preterm babies has a minor effect on neural maturation of the immature brainstem.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: zedong.jiang@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Z D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male
keywords: Brainstem development; Intrauterine growth retardation; Late preterm babies; Neural maturation; Small-for-gestation age