Predictive Value of ABR in Infants and Children with Moderate to Profound Hearing Impairment

Click and 500 Hz tone pip ABR thresholds obtained in infancy were compared to pure-tone thresholds in 25 preschool-aged patients with moderate to profound hearing impairments. The electrophysiologic thresholds obtained in infancy were generally lower than the recent audiometric thresholds. Clicks best predicted the lowest pure-tone threshold within the 1 to 8 kHz range. The 500 Hz tone-pip thresholds were closest to the lowest of 250 Hz and 500 Hz pure-tone thresholds. Regression analyses involving audiometric and electrophysiologic thresholds and 95% confidence intervals of the differences between their means provide a basis for behavioral threshold prediction in this patient group.