All issues > Volume 30(8); 1987

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1987;30(8):846-851. Published online August 31, 1987.

Auditory Brainstem Evoked Responses in Hyperbilirubinemic Neonates.

Eun Yong Lee¹, Pyung Hwa Chee¹, Sei Joo Kim²

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
²Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

Abstract

An association between neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and hearing loss has been found in several studies. Because auditory brainstem evoked responses (ABR) may be useful tool for the monitoring of early bilirubin txicity in hyperbilirubinemic neonates, ABR in 16 fullterm neonates with serum total bilirubin values 15 mg/dl were compared with the responses in 17 control neonates. The results were as follows: 1) The statistically significant absence of wave I, II，and III was noted in hyperbilirubinemic group compared with that in control group. 2) The peak latency of wave I in hyperbilirubinemic group was significantly longer than that in control group. 3) There was no significant difference in the interpeak latency wave V to wave I between two groups. In conclusion, neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is associated with aberrations of auditory brainstem evoked responses. And the auditory lesions may not be concerned with brainstem function but situated in the auditory nerve.

Keywords :Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response; Hyperbilirubinemia