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Intrauterine growth retardation and brainstem auditory-evoked response in preterm infants
D Kohelet1, E Arbel, M Goldberg
1Department of Neonatology, The Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel. kdavid@post.tau.ac.il
Insights
Premature infants with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) showed no auditory pathway abnormalities in early life. Brainstem auditory-evoked response testing revealed no significant differences compared to appropriate for gestational age infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Neurology
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is linked to intrauterine undernutrition, potentially impacting infant brain function.
- Early detection of neurological deficits in premature infants is crucial for timely intervention.
- The auditory pathway is sensitive to early developmental insults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential abnormalities in the auditory pathway of premature infants with IUGR.
- To compare brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEPs) between small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) premature infants.
- To assess the early neonatal impact of IUGR on auditory processing.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of 28 premature SGA infants with 28 premature AGA infants.
- Auditory pathway assessment using brainstem auditory-evoked potentials (BAEPs).
- Stimulus: 10/s, 75 dB nHL click stimulus; testing conducted between 4-18 weeks of life.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were observed in peak latencies (I, III, V) between the SGA and AGA groups.
- Interpeak latencies (I-III, III-V, I-V) also showed no significant variations between the two infant groups.
- These findings suggest no early neonatal abnormalities in the brainstem auditory pathway for IUGR infants.
Conclusions:
- Premature infants with intrauterine growth retardation do not appear to exhibit early abnormalities in their brainstem auditory-evoked responses.
- The auditory pathway, as measured by BAEPs, seems unaffected in the early neonatal period for IUGR infants.
- Further research may explore later developmental auditory function in this population.
Abstract:
Intrauterine growth retardation is frequently associated with intrauterine undernutrition, and can deleteriously affect brain function. Twenty-eight premature small for gestational age infants were compared with 28 premature appropriate for gestational age infants to determine whether intrauterine growth retardation was associated with abnormalities in the auditory pathway in the early neonatal period. The auditory pathway was studied between 4-18 wk of life by analysis of brainstem auditory-evoked potentials elicited by a 10/s 75 decibel above normal adult hearing level (dB nHL) click stimulus presented at the infants' ears. Peak latencies of components I, III and V, and interpeak latencies I-III, III-V and I-V, yielded no statistically significant differences between groups. The present study indicates that intrauterine growth-retarded premature infants may not have abnormalities of brainstem auditory-evoked response in the early neonatal period.