Fiabilidad de los potenciales evocados auditivos de estado estable en la fase diagnóstica del cribado neonatal universal de la hipoacusia

Abstract

Introduction and objectivesConventional audiometry is the gold standard for quantifying and describing hearing loss. Alternative methods become necessary to assess subjects who are too young to respond reliably. Auditory evoked potentials constitute the most widely used method for determining hearing thresholds objectively; however, this stimulus is not frequency specific. The advent of the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) leads to more specific threshold determination.The current study describes and compares ASSR, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and conventional behavioural tone audiometry thresholds in a group of infants with various degrees of hearing loss. MethodsA comparison was made between ASSR, ABR and behavioural hearing thresholds in 35 infants detected in the neonatal hearing screening program. ResultsMean difference scores (±SD) between ABR and high frequency ABR thresholds were 11.2 dB (±13) and 10.2 dB (±11). Pearson correlations between the ASSR and audiometry thresholds were 0.80 and 0.91 (500Hz); 0.84 and 0.82 (1000Hz); 0.85 and 0.84 (2000Hz); and 0.83 and 0.82 (4000Hz). ConclusionThe ASSR technique is a valuable extension of the clinical test battery for hearing-impaired children.