Abnormal findings in brainstem auditory evoked response at 36-37weeks of postconceptional age in babies with neonatal chronic lung disease.
To examine brainstem auditory function at 36-37weeks of postconceptional age in preterm infants who are diagnosed to have neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD).



Preterm infants, born at 31 and less weeks of gestation, were studied at 36-37weeks of postconceptional age when they were diagnosed to have neonatal CLD. Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) was recorded and analyzed at different click rates.



Compared with healthy controls at the same postconceptional age, the CLD infants showed a slightly increase in BAER wave V latency. However, the I-V, and III-V interpeak intervals in the CLD infants were significantly increased. The III-V/I-III interval ratio was also significantly increased. The amplitudes of BAER waves III and V in the CLD infants tended to be reduced. These BAER findings were similar at all 21, 51 and 91/s clicks, although the abnormalities tended to be more significant at higher than at low click rates.



At 36-37weeks of postconceptional age, BAER was abnormal in preterm infants who were diagnosed to have neonatal CLD. This suggests that at time when the diagnosis of CLD is made there is functional impairment, reflecting poor myelination, in the brainstem auditory pathway in preterm infants with neonatal CLD.
Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,. Electronic address: jiangzedong-oxshang@hotmail.com.
Ze D
ZD
Jiang
Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Cui
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Wang
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*
Auditory evoked potentials; Brainstem impairment; Chronic lung disease; Perinatal brain damage; Very preterm infants