Study of effect of chronic suppurative otitis media on auditory brainstem response latency

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) emerging as common hearing problems in the recent years with high prevalence requiring immediate attention. Hence, our study includes assessment of adult patients with CSOM using electrophysiological test, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and analysing the latency of ABR peaks in order to find the effect of CSOM on ABR latency with respect to shift in latency.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The study followed cross sectional study design where data collected from March to September 2019 were used. A total of 50 subjects with unilateral CSOM were analysed. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test was used for statistical analysis of the data. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> The data was divided into 3 groups based on degree of hearing loss (mild, moderate and moderately severe). The Mean ABR peak latency was analysed and subjects showed a significant latency shift. Also, it was found that the magnitude of latency shift increased with increase in degree of hearing loss.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Hence the study concludes that as the amount of conductive component increases the pure tone threshold deteriorates and ABR latency gets affected. Also, the morphology of ABR peaks on comparison to the normal hearing ear gets affected due to constant conductive pathology in the pathological ear.</p><p class="abstract"> </p>