LONGITUDINAL DISTORTION-PRODUCT OTOACOUSTIC EMISSION (DPE) LATENCY CHANGES IN PRETERM NEONATES

The purpose of this investigation was to determine what types of chang es occur in the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPE) latency with increasing postconceptual age. These DPE latency changes were the n described in relation to developmental changes in conductive and coc hlear mechanisms in the neonate. Longitudinal DPE latency measurements were obtained from a single ear of 18 preterm neonates. DPEs were evo ked at f2s of 3, 4 and 5 kHz. The longitudinal data revealed that DPE latency decreased as a function of postconceptual age for f2 of 3 and 4 kHz, but did not change significantly at 5 kHz. These findings sugge st that (1) the conductive and/or cochlear system have not reached mat urity in the preterm neonate, (2) DPE latency can be used to measure d evelopmental changes in the auditory periphery, and (3) maturational c hanges need to be considered if DPE latency is used to identify audito ry dysfunction in neonates.