AUDITORY BRAINSTEN RESPONSES IN WORKERS OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED TO NOISE AND ORGANOPHOSPHATES
International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology
AUDITORY BRAINSTEN RESPONSES IN WORKERS OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED TO NOISE AND ORGANOPHOSPHATES
Autor Correspondente: Delecrode CR | [email protected]
Resumos Cadastrados
Resumo Inglês:
AIM: To describe and compare the findings of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) of subjects occupationally exposed to noise and organophosphates to those subjects not exposed to these agents. METHOD: This study included 32 men, 32 - 53 years of age, with tympanometry and pure tone audiometry (thresholds ≤ 25dBHL from 250 - 8000 Hz) within normal standards. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: the study group comprising 16 subjects who applied pesticides and were exposed to noise and organophosphates (duration of past exposure: 4 - 24 years; mean years - 17) and a control group of 16 unexposed volunteers without hearing complaints. The ABR was monitored using a Navigator-Pro (Biologic) with insertable earphones. The responses were captured with an active electrode in Fz, the reference in the earlobes and the ground on Fpz. The stimulation parameters were: 2000 rarefied clicks (21.8 clicks/s) at 80dB SPL. RESULTS: The mean values of absolute latency in the study group were 1.55 ms (RE) and 1.54 ms (LE) for wave I, 3.65 ms (RE) and 3.70 ms (LE) for wave III and 5.51 ms (RE) and 5.55 ms (LE) for wave V. In the control group, the mean values of absolute latency were 1.58 ms (RE) and 1.56 ms (LE) for wave I, 3.76 ms (RE) and 3.77 ms (LE) for wave III and 5.58 ms in both ears for wave V. The t-test showed no significant difference between the latency and inter-peak latencies. CONCLUSION: The exposure to organophosphates and noise did not influence the neurophysiology of the ABR responses.
