Auditory Brainstem Response Test at Different Stimulus Rates in Normal-Hearing Adults Living With HIV

Abstract

Purpose The study investigated whether the auditory brainstem response (ABR) at a baseline and at higher repetition rates can detect if neurodegeneration has occurred in adults living with HIV who present with normal behavioral pure-tone thresholds. Method An exploratory research design was used. Forty adults with HIV (80 ears, 57.5% female; M age = 26.3 years, SD = 3.68) and 20 adults without HIV participated. Phase 1 compared ABR absolute and interwave latencies at a baseline rate. Phase 2 examined the effect of HIV status and category of immunodeficiency on ABR absolute Wave V latency and Wave V latency shift at increased stimulus rates. Analysis included a two-way analysis of variance of the interaction between stimulus rate and HIV status and between CD4+ category and rate, and multiple regression analysis. Results In adults living with HIV, the baseline ABR yielded prolonged Wave III and V absolute latencies and interpeak prolongations in 22.5%. Interaural Wave V latency differences were present in 15% of participants. An additional 15% of ears presented with abnormal Wave V at increased rates. No significant interaction between HIV status and rate in either ear or between CD4+ category and rate was found in either ear ( p > .05). Although rate and gender contributed significantly to the prediction of Wave V latency of the rate study (left and right, p < .001), HIV status did not (left and right, p > .05). Conclusions Although the interaction of HIV status and CD4+ with rate was not significant, more ears were identified with abnormal results at increased stimulus rates than with the baseline ABR alone. The ABR at increased rates may therefore be a valuable addition for the identification of individuals living with HIV with auditory neural deficiencies.

Peripheral Auditory Function in Young HIV‐Positive Adults With Clinically Normal Hearing

“…An ABR wave I amplitude difference, while not as robust as DPOAE differences, was seen between the groups. Studies have found prolonged peak and interpeak latencies, but to our knowledge, no other study has reported a difference in ABR wave I amplitude between young PLWH and HIV‐negative controls 10,17–19 . As ABR wave I represents the distal function of the auditory nerve at the spiral ganglion cells, we might interpret this as a slight reduction in neural strength from the hair cell to the cochlear nucleus in PLWH 19 , 20 .…”

“…Studies have found prolonged peak and interpeak latencies, but to our knowledge, no other study has reported a difference in ABR wave I amplitude between young PLWH and HIV-negative controls. 10,[17][18][19] As ABR wave I represents the distal function of the auditory nerve at the spiral ganglion cells, we might interpret this as a slight reduction in neural strength from the hair cell to the cochlear nucleus in PLWH. 19,20 Potential cochlear synaptic dysfunction may not be apparent in peripheral auditory measures such as pure tone audiometry, perhaps explaining why audiometric thresholds were similar between groups.…”

Comparison of pure tone audiometry thresholds and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) of patients with and without Covid-19 pneumonia

“…Virus-related hearing losses are mostly sensorineural, although they can also be of the conductive or mixed type. Such virus-related hearing losses can occur unilaterally or bilaterally, and can be reversible or irreversible [8] , [9] . The most common viral etiology of hearing loss is the measles virus causing otosclerosis.…”