[Analyze of the clinical characteristics in children with the severe abnormal auditory brainstem response and normal distortion product otoacoustic emission].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinic and audiological characteristics of auditory neuropathy in children. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2004, ninety-eight cases with the severe abnormal results of ABR and the normal results of DPOAE were enrolled in the study group. The mean patient age was 9 months, with a range of 1 month to 5 years. According to the evaluation of pediatric neurologist, the high-risk factors of psychomotor development retardation were statistically analyzed whether the cases were accompanied by psychomotor development retardation or not. The cases with abnormal results of ABR and DPOAE and without abnormal conductive function were selected as the cochlea lesion group. Some same age children without hearing loss were subjected as normal control group. RESULTS: The psychomotor development retardation was performed in 83.67% of cases. Hypercholesterolemia of newborn was the common high-risk factor of psychomotor development retardation (43.88% ). Severe abnormal results of ABR were occurred in 66. 07% of ears. Prolonged latency of wave I - V ABR and acoustic stapedius reflex were observed in few cases. The DPOAE amplitudes at intermediate and high frequencies were normal or slightly descending. Occurring rate of DPOAE at intermediate and high frequencies was the same as in normal control group. CONCLUSIONS: Hypercholesterolemia of newborn is the most common cause of auditory neuropathy. The auditory test results are various in children with auditory neuropathy. This character is different from it in adults.