Assessment of levels of otoacoustic emission response in neonates with perinatal asphyxia

• Published in: Revista paulista de pediatria Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 189 - 193
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Georgea Espindola, da Silva, Daniela Polo Camargo, Montovani, Jair Cortez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese; English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Asphyxia Neonatorum - diagnosis; Asphyxia Neonatorum - physiopathology; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Neonatal Screening; Original; Índice de Apgar; Apgar score; Triagem neonatal; Asphyxia neonatorum; Asfixia neonatal; Neonatal screening
• ISSN: 0103-0582; 1984-0462
• DOI: 10.1590/0103-0582201432307

To evaluate the effects of perinatal asphyxia on the level of the response to transient otoacoustic emissions in infants. Otoacoustic emissions in 154 neonates were performed: 54 infants who suffered asphyxia at birth, measured by Apgar score and medical diagnosis, and 100 infants without risk were compared. Scores less than 4 in the first minute and/or less than 6 in the fifth minute were considered as "low Apgar". Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the Kruskal, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney nonparametric tests. Lower levels of response were observed in transient otoacoustic emission in the group that suffered perinatal asphyxia, with significant values for the frequencies 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000Hz in the right ear, and 2,000 and 4,000Hz in the left ear. The analysis of the intrinsic characteristics of the otoacoustic emissions evidenced low performance of outer hair cells in neonates who had perinatal asphyxia, which may affect the development of listening skills in this population.