Abstract
Newborns with NNAS have evidence of advanced maturation of the lungs and liver as shown by a lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and hyperbilirubinemia. It is not known whether the brain-stem maturation of these infants is also accelerated. ABRs have been shown to be useful for evaluating the maturation of the brain-stem and also correlate with gestational age (GA). Therefore, this technique was used to evaluate the maturation of the brain-stem in infants with NNAS.
Thirteen newborns with NNAS (mean BW 3158 gm, GA 35-43 weeks) underwent ABR testing during their hospital stay. Severity of NNAS was quantitated by the score of Finnegan. All three major components (waves I, III, V) of the ABR could be elicited in these infants. The usual changes in ABR associated with advancing GA were present in these newborns. The I-III interval was equal to known standards for GA, whereas the I-V interval (central conduction time) tended to be shorter at all GAs. ABRs were apparently not affected by severity of NNAS or drug therapy.
In summary, ABR can be used to assess brain-stem maturation in newborns with NNAS. Infants with NNAS show a trend towards shorter transmission time in the auditory nerve pathway, possibly due to faster upper brain-stem conduction.
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Moya, F., Bauman, N., Chamberlin, M. et al. AUDITORY BRAINSTRM EVOKED RESPONSES (ABR) IN NEWBORNS WITH NEONATAL NAQRCOTIC ABSTINENCE SYNDROME (NNAS). Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 380 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01724
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-01724