Contribution of Asphyxia to the Induction of Hearing Impairment in Jaundiced Gunn Rats

[摘要] Objectives . This study was designed to determine whether asphyxia contributes to the induction of hearing impairment during neonatal jaundice.Methods . Asphyxia was induced in jaundiced and nonjaundiced Gunn rats on postnatal days 1 (low bilirubin levels) and 10 (elevated bilirubin levels). Auditory nerve-brainstem evoked response thresholds were assessed in 21- and 28-day and 3-month-old rats.Results . Asphyxia by itself or jaundice by itself did not lead to any type of hearing impairment. However, the combination of both high plasma bilirubin levels and asphyxia in 10-day-old rats but not in 1-day-old rats was accompanied by a progressive hearing loss in these rats.Conclusions . The contributory effect of asphyxia on neonatal jaundice may have important clinical relevance if asphyxia, for example, respiratory distress, accompanies neonatal jaundice.

[学科分类] 儿科学