The comparison of the LS CE Chirp and click stimuli and auditory brainstem responses in adults with normal hearing function and in patients with sensorineural hearing loss

ABR is a test used in audiological diagnosis. ABR uses click, tone burst and chirp stimulus. The purpose of this study is to compare the healthy individuals' and the SNHL patients' ABR to LS CE Chirp and click stimuli. The subjects' ages ranged from 19 to 55. There were a total of 36 healthy subjects and 60 subjects with bilateral SNHL divided into three groups: mild SNHL (n=20), moderate SNHL (n=20), moderate-to-severe SNHL (n=20). The subjects underwent audiometric and tympanometric evaluations, a click stimulus and subsequently, the same device was readjusted for the application of the LS CE Chirp ABR test. All subjects wave V. absolute latency and amplitude values that were obtained in the 90, 80 and 60 dB, the healthy individuals were also tested for 40 and 20 dB, click and the LS CE Chirp stimuli were recorded. The healthy subjects' absolute latency values at 90, 80 and 20 dB were not significantly different, However, the responses to the 40 and 20 dB stimuli were significantly different (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant difference between the mild SNHL subjects' responses to 60 and 80 dB stimuli, and the moderate SNHL subjects' responses to 90 dB stimuli (p<0.05). The absolute latency and amplitude values of the moderate-to-severe SNHL subjects were not different for any stimuli (LS CE Chirp or click) at any volume (p>0.05). The amplitude values of the LS CE Chirp responses were higher than the responses to click stimuli in all subject groups (p<0.05). To conclude, as the wave V. amplitude is higher and the wave morphology is more clear, the use of LS CE Chirp stimuli will provide responses that are easier to understand and to interpret. Keywords: Click ABR, Hearing Loss, LS CE Chirp