Distortion product otoacoustic emission analysis in premature neonates

Purpose: to verify the incidence of changes in otoacoustic emission distortion product in premature infants and to analyze the magnitude of responses in relation to the gestational age in this population.Methods: observational cross-sectional study, which included results analysis of distortion product otoacoustic emissions of preterm newborns, screened in a public hospital in Belo Horizonte, from August 2010 to February, 2011. The infants were divided into three groups according to the gestational ages, the first group consisting of neonates aging 28-30 weeks, the second was of 31-33 weeks and third group of 34-36 weeks. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of UFMG number 0210.0.203.000-10.Results: among the 44 children studied (93.62%) distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were present and only three children (6.38%) had absent DPOAEs. Regarding the amplitude analysis of the otoacoustic emissions and their comparisons between groups, no statistically significant difference was found between gestational groups, however we observed lower p values between gestational groups at high frequencies – 6kHz and 5KHz.Conclusion: prematurity in itself is not a factor that influences the outcome of DPOAE in premature neonates.