Audiological evaluation of very low birthweight infants

Abstract

A population of consecutively surviving very low birthweight (VLBW) infants comprising 41 infants (24 female) birthweight less than 1000 g and 108 infants (63 female) birthweight 1000-1500 g received detailed audiological evaluation. The audiological test battery comprised auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) prior to hospital discharge, behavioural audiometry and tympanometry at 8-12 months and monitoring as necessary. The ABR results were interpreted with reference to a normative group of 36 full-term infants (birthweight 2.4-4.5 kg). Of the 142 VLBW infants completing audiological evaluation, one (0.7%) had evidence of moderate-severe high frequency sensorineural hearing loss, 83 (58.5%) evidence of conductive dysfunction (18 severe, 42 moderate and 23 mild) and only 58 (40.8%) normal hearing. The 19 infants with severe auditory impairment were more likely to have suffered moderate-severe apnoea, greater than or equal to two courses of mechanical ventilation, prolonged oxygen therapy and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections in the first year of life than infants without severe impairment (P less than 0.05). Because of the incidence of conductive pathology, difficulties occurred when attempting to compare ABR status at 36-42 weeks postmenstrual age with peripheral hearing status at 8-12 months as assessed by visual reinforcement orientation audiometry (VROA) and impedance audiometry. The most useful ABR test parameters as screening measures of peripheral auditory status were Wave I-III-V morphology, wave V threshold levels and wave V absolute latency values when used in combination as a test battery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age at diagnosis of deaf babies: A retrospective analysis highlighting the advantage of newborn hearing screening

“…In fact in recent years an increase of newborn survival in the NICU has been observed. This was not followed by an improvement in sensory neural system pathologies, and an increase of prevalence of hearing loss has been registered [14,15].…”

Brainstem Auditory Response Findings in Very Preterm Babies in the Intensive Care Unit

“…Conductive auditory problems, most of which are due to middle-ear effusion, are common in very preterm babies, especially those who have been intubated [13]. Our babies showed a significant increase in wave I and V latencies and a moderate, though statistically significant, reduction in wave I amplitude, along with an increase in BAER threshold.…”

“…We previously studied BAER at term in babies born at 33-36 weeks of gestation in an intensive care unit [13]. At 21 clicks per second, the I-V and III-V intervals were increased but none of the wave I, III, and V latencies and the I-III interval differed significantly from the normal controls.…”

Zur Verlässlichkeit hirnstammaudiometrischer Hörschwellenbestimmungen

“…Während die Übereinstimmung zwischen Klick-Schwellen und subjektiven Schwellen bei hörgesunden und hörgestörten Säuglingen und Kleinkindern vielfach untersucht wurde (Cornacchia et al 1982, Newton und Barratt 1983, Durieux-Smith und Jacobson 1985, Hyde et al 1990, Durieux-Smith et al 1991, Hirsch 1991, Jensen und Ostri 1991, Tudehope et al 1992, Picton et al 1994, Balfour et al 1998, Schoonhoven et al 2000, Walch et al 2000, Cone-Wesson et al 2002 Als der maximale unverzerrte Stimuluspegel werden 100 dB HL angegeben.…”