Brain stems Evoked Response Audiometry Profile in Chronic Renal Failure

Renal failure result in accumulation of nitrogenous waste in the body it is reversible in acute renal failure and irreversible deterioration of renal function leading to progressive destruction of nephrons in chronic renal failure (CRF). There is uremia, hyponatremia, hypertension and fluid retention in CRF causes direct and indirect effect on the inner ear including audiovestibular apparatus. The association of hereditary nephritis and deafness was established by examination of hearing with controlled audiometer. Now with the introduction of auditory evoked potential recordings, the new era in diagnosis of nervous pathway and its disorder started. Few workers have studied the effect of hearing loss in chronic renal failure patients on BERA with conflicting results therefore the present study was under taken to assess the effect of chronic renal failure on hearing loss. Total sixty subjects were randomly taken age & sex wise divided into two groups. Group I consisted of thirty normal individuals, with normal hearing as control group. Group II consisted of thirty subjects with chronic renal failure, the specific tests for hearing assessment were performed i.e. PTA, SISI & BERA. The mean hearing threshold for PTA was 18.92 db in Group I whereas the mean threshold for PTA in Group II CRF was 28.60 db sensory neural hearing loss. The recruitment was observed in 21 cases i.e. 70%. On BERA test there was statistically significant delay in absolute latencies of all waves I through V. whereas absolute latencies have normal course. As study of B.E.R.A. for determination of hearing loss in CRF patients was minimum but its use provides a new era in the diagnosis of auditory pathway therefore statistically significant prolongation of absolute latencies of wave I, III&V in chronic renal failure suggests cochlear involvement.