Keywords: newborn, auditory evoked potenciais, BERA

Abstract: The Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry procedure has been used in neonatal population as a screening and assessment procedure because of the lack of accurate results in conventional behavioural audiometry. This fact led us to propose this study. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the variables that may interfere on the Auditory Evoked Potentials analysis. For this purpose 35 preterm newborns were selected and submitted to the Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry at 80 and 40 dBHLn (clicks) intensity. Analysis of absolute latencies of waves (I, III and V) and interpeaks latency (I-III, I-V, III-V) were performed. The results showed that related to the ear side, there is a high correlation between right and left ear of the same subject. Considering the weight at birth, it wasn't observed any influence in the results of the evoked potentials analysis, but the subject sex did affected the responses. The absolute latencies of waves 111 and V showed longer in males, but were not found any difference for wave 1.