Correlation of Threshold of Click-Evoked Auditory Brainstem Response with Pure-Tone Threshold Average in Various Formulas

Received September 25, 2012 Revised November 9, 2012 Accepted November 19, 2012 Address for correspondence Eun-Ju Jeon, MD Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 56 Dongsu-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon 403-720, Korea Tel +82-32-280-5877 Fax +82-32-280-5914 E-mail ejmercy@catholic.ac.kr Background and ObjectivesZZThe aim of this study is to assess the correlation between the threshold of click-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR) and the pure-tone averages in various formulas. Subjects and MethodZZData were obtained from 207 patients (326 ears) with sudden sensorineural hearing loss. All subjects underwent hearing threshold evaluation using pure tone audiogram (PTA), speech audiogram and click-evoked ABR. Linear regression analyses were applied to assess the relation between threshold of click-evoked ABR and threshold of separate frequencies of the PTA and to analyze the correlation between threshold for click-evoked ABR and various pure-tone averages. ResultsZZResults revealed a significant relation between the threshold of click-evoked ABR and PTA thresholds at 0.5 kHz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 3 kHz, and 4 kHz. The highest coefficients of regression and determination were 1.026 for 4 kHz and R=0.663 for 3 kHz, respectively. The coefficient of regression was highest (=0.995) for the mean of PTA thresholds for 3 kHz and 4 kHz. The coefficient of determination was highest for the mean of PTA thresholds for 1, 2, 3 and 4 kHz (R=0.732). Multiple regression analysis showed a significant relation between the ABR threshold and PTA thresholds for 1, 3, and 4 kHz (R=0.732), with highest correlation coefficient at 3 kHz [ABR=11.79+(0.17×1 kHz)+(0.26×3 kHz)+(0.23×4 kHz), (p<0.05)]. ConclusionZZThe threshold of click-evoked ABR correlates best with the mean of PTA thresholds for 1, 2, 3 and 4 kHz. The PTA threshold for 3 kHz has highest correlation with the ABR threshold. Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg 2012;55:764-70