Evaluation of a computer-automated program for clinical assessment of the auditory brain stem response.

An evaluation of an automatic auditory brain stem evaluation (AABE) for waves I, III, and V, of the auditory brain stem response (ABR) is presented. The on-line procedure performs a mathematical analysis of ABR waveforms using principles similar to those used by experienced clinicians to make threshold and latency decisions. It has been tested and applied to normal and pathologic traces at stimulus levels from 20 to 100 dB HL. Subject ages ranged from 6 months through adulthood. Latencies and thresholds determined by the analytic technique were examined and found to be indistinguishable from decisions of two "expert" observers and four practicing clinical audiologists experienced in ABR. Speed, practicality, and limitations of the software for routine ABR assessments are discussed.