All issues > Volume 35(2); 1992

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1992;35(2):191-200. Published online February 15, 1992.

A Study of Auditoru Brainstem Responses in Neonates with Birth Asphyxia

Su Kyung SK Kang¹, Kum Hee KH Hur¹, Myoung Jae MJ Chey¹, Hak Soo HS Lee¹, Il Tae IT Kang²

¹Department of Pediatrics, gil General Hospital, Incheon, Korea
²Department of Otolaryngology, gil General Hospital, Incheon, Korea

Abstract

Birth asphyxia is an insult to fetus or newborn due to lack of oxygen or perfusion to various organs, especially to brain, resulting in the important complication known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Auditory brainstem responses may assist in evaluating the severity of the brain injury. ABR testing was performed in 20 ful term neonates with birth asphyxia with 1-minute or 5-minute Apgar scores of less than 6, and 20 normal control neonaates with 1-minute or 5-minute Apgar scores of more than 7 and we compared of peak latency, inter-peak latency, amplitude and V / I amplutude ratio. The results were as follows : 1) There were no significant different ABR findings including peak latency, inter-peak latency between neonates with birth asphyxia and control neonates at 90 dB. 2) There were significant prolongation of peak latencies of wave V at 30 dB and 45 dB (p<0.05) and no significant difference of peak laatencies of wave V at 60 dB and 90 dB between neonates with birth asphyxia and control neonates. 3) There was no difference of amplitude of wave V at 30, 45, 60, 60 dB, amplitude of wave I and V / I amplitude ratio at 90 dB between neonates with birth asphyxia and control neonaates. 4) Among 20 neonaates with birth asphyxia, 13 neonates showed abnormal ABR. Abnormal findings of ABR in neonates with birth asphyxia were 3 cases of prolongation of peak latency of wave I and V, 1 case of prolongation of peak latency wave I, III, V and inter-peak laatency of wave I-III, 1 case of decreased amplitude of wave V, 3 cases of prolongation of peak latency and decreased amplitude of wave I, III and V, 1 case of prolongation of peak latency of wave III, V and inter-peak latency of wave I-III, I-V and decreased amplitude of wave V, 2 cases of increased amplitude of wave V and 2 cases of prolongation of peak latency and increased amplitude of wave III and V. The most comon abnormal finding was prolongation of peak latency of wave V.

Keywords :Birth Asphyxia, Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)