Mingyan Li1, Li Zhu1, Dan Yao1, Lin Xu1, Chai Ji2. 1. Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China. 2. Children's Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, China. Electronic address: 6198011@zju.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that infants who were born between 37 and 38 weeks of gestation are at higher risk of adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Yet little is known about the auditory neural maturation during the first year of their life. AIM: To compare the development of auditory brainstem response in early term (ET, 37-38 weeks gestational age, GA) and full term (FT, 39-41 weeks GA) infants. METHODS: 126 infants received ABR testing at 6 weeks. 107 of them returned for the second assessment at 9 months, among which, 93 completed the ABR recordings. Comparison of the ABR variables were made depending on gestational age. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to identify the differences in ABR outcomes between two groups. After controlling for confounders, latencies for wave III, V and I-III, III-V and I-V intervals were prolonged in ET group compared with FT group at 6 weeks (all p<0.03). ABR parameters of both groups developed as the infants got older. At 9 months, ET infants remain showing the longer wave V latency and I-V interval (all p < 0.02) than FT infants. CONCLUSION: During early postnatal life, ET has a different pattern of functional auditory brainstem development comparing with FT infants. The prolonged auditory conduction time suggests less mature of the central auditory system in ET infants before 9 months.
BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that infants who were born between 37 and 38 weeks of gestation are at higher risk of adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Yet little is known about the auditory neural maturation during the first year of their life. AIM: To compare the development of auditory brainstem response in early term (ET, 37-38 weeks gestational age, GA) and full term (FT, 39-41 weeks GA) infants. METHODS: 126 infants received ABR testing at 6 weeks. 107 of them returned for the second assessment at 9 months, among which, 93 completed the ABR recordings. Comparison of the ABR variables were made depending on gestational age. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to identify the differences in ABR outcomes between two groups. After controlling for confounders, latencies for wave III, V and I-III, III-V and I-V intervals were prolonged in ET group compared with FT group at 6 weeks (all p<0.03). ABR parameters of both groups developed as the infants got older. At 9 months, ET infants remain showing the longer wave V latency and I-V interval (all p < 0.02) than FT infants. CONCLUSION: During early postnatal life, ET has a different pattern of functional auditory brainstem development comparing with FT infants. The prolonged auditory conduction time suggests less mature of the central auditory system in ET infants before 9 months.
Authors: F Matin; S Haumann; W Roßberg; D Mitovska; T Lenarz; A Lesinski-Schiedat Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2020-12-18 Impact factor: 2.503