Premium
Neonatal auditory function and depressed Apgar score: Correlation of brainstem auditory response with Apgar score
Author(s) -
JIANG ZE D.,
WILKINSON ANDREW R.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1080/08035250600681673
Subject(s) - apgar score , medicine , brainstem auditory evoked potential , correlation , anesthesia , brainstem , fetus , pregnancy , biology , genetics , geometry , mathematics
Aim: To examine the relationship between neonatal auditory function and Apgar score in term infants with depressed Apgar scores. Methods: Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) was recorded on day 3 after birth in term infants who had Apgar scores7 at 1 and/or 5 min. Half of the infants also had Apgar scores at 10 min, with 177. Results: No BAER variables correlated significantly with 1‐min Apgar score. However, wave III and V latencies, and I–V, I–III and III–V intervals correlated significantly and negatively with 5‐min Apgar score ( p <0.05–0.01). These BAER variables were significantly longer in infants with 5‐min Apgar scores7 than those >7. Wave V latency and all intervals also correlated negatively with 10‐min Apgar score ( p <0.05–0.01). Compared to normal controls, all latencies were prolonged in infants with depressed Apgar scores (all p <0.05–0.01). All intervals were also prolonged in those with 5‐min scores 7 (p<0.05–0.01). Similar results were found when defining the depression of Apgar score as 6. Conclusion: A depressed 5‐ and/or 10‐min Apgar score is an indicator associated with neonatal auditory, mainly central, impairment. Apgar score 7 or 6 at 1 min alone is unlikely to be associated with central impairment.