ABSTRACT
Purpose:
to verify the occurrence of Intracranial hemorrhages in preterm infants undergoing neonatal intensive care, characterizing the occurrence of central hearing impairment in this population and its variation depending on the degree of hemorrhage.
Methods:
a longitudinal retrospective study. Of the 719 preterm infants, 46 (6.4%) had peri-intraventricular hemorrhage. 84 patients were selected, and divided into two groups: a study group, consisted of 42 with hemorrhage, and a control group, consisted of 42 without peri-intraventricular hemorrhage. All had transient evoked otoacoustic emissions present, and underwent brainstem auditory evoked potential investigation during hospitalization, and were followed for two years, through behavioral assessment of hearing.
Results:
there was a higher incidence of central alteration in the study group (33.4%) compared to the control group (4.8%), characterized by increased latency of waves III and V and interpeak interval IV. The auditory central alteration was higher in preterm infants with hemorrhage grade II, III and IV compared to grade I.
Conclusion:
the occurrence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage was 6.4%. The occurrence of central alteration was 33.4% and varied with the hemorrhage degree: children with hemorrhage grades II, III and IV showed higher occurrence of central alteration in relation to the ones with hemorrhage grade I. In audiological follow-up, central hearing impairment remained at 51.85% of children who already had this alteration since birth.
Keywords:
Intracranial Hemorrhages; Hearing; Newborn; Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Potentials
