Effects of hearing loss on behavioral threshold prediction by auditory brainstem response
YANG Huarong
Si Chao
LIU Ni
Abstract：Objective To investigate the impact of degree of hearing loss on predicting behavioral thresholds by audi-tory brainstem responses. Methods From January 2012 to January 2016, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and behavioral threshold test were conducted in a total of 177 patients (309 ears) with different degrees of hearing loss in our hospital. Cor-relation between auditory brainstem responses and behavioral thresholds at different frequencies, as well as influencing fac-tors, were analyzed. Results ABR thresholds were positively correlated to behavioral thresholds at all frequencies. However, ABR thresholds did not completely correctly predicted behavioral thresholds. When the hearing was normal, ABR thresh-olds tended to overestimate behavioral thresholds, while the opposite was the case when significant hearing loss existed. The differences between ABR-predicted thresholds and actual behavioral thresholds were correlated to the degree of hearing loss, and could be reduced using a correction coefficient. Conclusion Auditory brainstem responses can be effectively used to predict behavioral thresholds in children with hearing loss, although the accuracy is influenced by the degree of hearing loss. A constant correction coefficient is conducive to improving the accuracy in predicting behavioral thresholds using audi-tory brainstem responses.
Keywords：hearing loss levelauditory brainstem responsebehavioral threshold
Publication Date：2016-01-01