Multi-frequency Auditory Steady State Response Objective Sensorineural Deaf Children To Listen To The Threshold Assessment In Clinical Research

Objective: To provide the guidance for applying multiple frequency auditory steady state response (MFASSR) by analyzing the thresholds of MFASSR and comparing the accuracy of, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and 40Hz auditory event related potential (40HzAERP) in estimating the pure-tone thresholds in a sample of children with sensorineural hearing loss.Methods: Sensorineural hearing loss children (aged from 5 to 15 years old) were tested with pure-tone audiometry, ABR, 40HzAERP and MFASSR. Carrier frequencies of stimuli in MFASSR were 0.5, 1, 2 and 4kHz, modulated in amplitude at different rate between 75 and 110Hz. The stimuli were presented simultaneously using ER-3A insert earphone. All the subjects were asleep during ABR, 40HzAERP and MFASSR. The response thresholds of MFASSR at each carrier frequency were compared to the corresponding thresholds of pure-tone audiometry, ABR, 40HzAERP. The statistical analysis was made by SPSS11.5.Results:①The positive incidences of MFASSR at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4kHz were 77.14%, 91.42%, 87.13% and 78.38% respectively. The positive incidences of ABR and 40HzAERP were 64.29% and 92.86% respectively. The ratios at 1 and 2kHz were significant higher than the one of ABR, and the ratio at 0.5kHz was significant lower than the one of 40HzAERP.②The pure-tone thresholds and the response thresholds of MFASSR were significant correlated and the correlation coefficient (r) were 0.812, 0.906, 0.898 and 0.902.③T he response thresholds of MFASSR were on average between 9~19dB above pure-tone thresholds. The mean and standard deviation of different between MFASSR and pure-tone thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4kHz were 19.29±11.88dB, 13.09±10.64dB, 12.15±10.66dB and 9.15±10.48dB. There was significant different (P=0.001) among carrier frequencies with the biggest different found at 0.5kHz.④At the carrier frequencies of 1, 2 and 4, there were significant findings for the response thresholds between MFASSR and ABR (P﹤0.05). There was the same result to the thresholds between MFASSR and 40HzAERP at 0.5kHz (P=0.001). The accuracy to estimate the pure-tone thresholds was higher for MFASSR than ABR at 1, 2 and 4kHz, but lower for MFASSR than 40HzAERP at 0.5kHz.Conclusion: As a good tool for hearing assessment, MFASSR can be used to estimate the frequency-specific pure-tone thresholds in the children with sensorineural hearing loss. 40HzAERP should also be used to confirm the threshold at 0.5kHz.