RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) abnormalities and their reversibility in neonates with birth asphyxia. DESIGN: Prospective case control study. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. METHODS: 30 term Neonates with 5-min Apgar < 6 and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) underwent BAER testing with follow up at 3 months. An equal number of normal term neonates served as controls. RESULTS: 13 out of 30 (43.3%) neonates with birth asphyxia showed some abnormality in BAER wave form. The commonest type of BAER abnormalities seen were transient prolongation of latencies of various waves (69.2%) and prolonged interside latency difference (69.2%). Other abnormalities observed were prolonged interwave interval (23.1%) and prolonged interside interval difference (7.7%). Abnormalities in BAER were significantly associated with stages of HIE and duration of neurological abnormalities more than 5 days. On follow up of 16 cases at 3 months of age, BAER abnormalities reverted back to normal in all the neonates. The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DENVER II) was suspect in 4 cases but the BAER was normal. CONCLUSION: BAER abnormalities in asphyxic neonates are transient and revert back to normal at 3 months of age. BAER does not appear to be a useful tool for early detection of neurological handicaps.