Auditory brainstem responses in congenital heart disease.

To evaluate the effect of chronic hypoxemia on brainstem maturation, auditory brainstem responses were examined in 70 children (32 with and 38 without cyanosis) who had congenital heart disease. Ninety-one age-matched normal children served as controls. At 1-3 months of age, the I-V interpeak latencies of cyanotic infants (mean +/- S.D.; 5.17 +/- 0.17 ms) were more prolonged than were those of controls (4.95 +/- 0.11 ms) and those without cyanosis (4.84 +/- 0.22 ms; P < .05; P < .01). At 4-11 months of age, the I-V interpeak latencies of cyanotic infants (4.85 +/- 0.13 ms) were more prolonged than were those of controls (4.67 +/- 0.19 ms) and those not experiencing cyanosis (4.5 +/- 0.17 ms; P < .05; P < .01). In the cyanotic children, there was a significant negative correlation between the I-V interpeak latency and oxygen partial pressure (P < .01) or oxygen saturation (P < .05). Three of the 70 patients (4.3%) with congenital heart disease had absent auditory brainstem response. These data indicate that chronic hypoxemia may be one of the factors in retarded brainstem maturation.