To evaluate the hearing of infants with history of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia using ABR.
Methods: A prospective randomized study carried on 100 infants whose hearing was assessed by ABR. Infants
were allocated into two groups; case group which involve 60 infants with history of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia
(bilirubin more than17 mg/dl and less than 30 mg/dl) and control group involve 40 healthy infants. Each group
was divided into 3 groups based on their age i.e. ≤ 6 months,>6–9 months &>9–12 months. The evaluated
variables were latency time & inter peak latency time.
Results: The mean latencies of wave III&V of ABR were significantly higher in the case group compared with the
controls (P < 0.001) while the mean latencies of wave I did not show a significant difference between the two
study groups (P > 0.05). The mean inter wave latencies I-III, I–V& III-V of ABR were significantly higher in the
case group compared with the controls. There was a negative correlation between age and the studied variables.
Conclusion: Hyperbilirubinemia have an adverse effect on neonatal hearing which was reflected by ABR parameters
of this study.