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Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Testing in Babies

"last update: 26 August 2024"  

- Methods

Methods of development

➡️Stakeholder Involvement: Individuals who were involved in the development process. Included the above-mentioned Audiology Chief Manager, Audiology Executive Manager, Assembly Board, Grading Board and Reviewing Board.

Information about target population experiences were not applicable for this topic.

➡️Search Method

Electronic database searched:

Pubmed, Google scholar, Cochrane and Embase

➡️Keywords

ABR, clicks, tone burst, frequency specific audiological assessment, hearing assessment in babies

The adaptation cycle passed over: set-up phase, adaptation phase (Search and screen, assessment: currency, content, quality & /decision/selection) and finalization phase that included revision and external reviewing.

➡️Time period searched: 2003 to 2019

➡️Results

Three national audiologists reviewed the guidelines available. Guidelines from the British Society of Audiology (BSA) gained the highest scores as regards currency, contents and quality.

It was graded GRADE by twenty one experts and reviewed by three expert reviewers to improve quality, gather feedback on draft recommendations.

The external review was done through a rating scale as well as open-ended questions.

➡️Setting: Primary, secondary and tertiary care centers & hospitals, and related specialties.


Interpretation of strong and conditional recommendations for an intervention

Audience

Strong recommendation

Conditional recommendation

Patients

Most individuals in this situation would want the recommended course of action; only a small proportion would not.

Formal decision aides are not likely to be needed to help individuals make decisions consistent with their values and preferences.

Most individuals in this situation would want the suggested course of action, but many would not

Clinicians

Most individuals should receive the intervention.

Adherence to the recommendation could be used as a quality criterion or performance indicator.

Different choices will be appropriate for individual patients, who will require assistance in arriving at a management decision consistent with his or her values and preferences. Decision aides may be useful in helping individuals make decisions consistent with their values and preferences.

Policymakers

The recommendation can be adopted as policy in most situations.

Policy-making will require substantial debate and involvement of various stakeholders.

 

WHO handbook for guideline development – 2nd ed.

Chapter 10, page 129


The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to Decision frameworks 

(GRADE Working Group 2013)

Grade

Definition

High

 

We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect.

Moderate

 

We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different

Low

 

Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect.

Very Low

 

We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect