RISK FACTORS AFFECTING HEARING IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT NEONATES
Journal Title: Journal of Hearing Science - Year 2016, Vol 6, Issue 3
Abstract
Background: Neonatal intensive care unit graduates are considered to be of higher risk for hearing impairment, either auditory neuropathy or hearing loss. In this study we examine the presence of risk factors and try to identify their effect on the hearing of high-risk neonates. Materials and methods: In this prospective cohort study we used automated auditory brainstem responses (a-ABRs) and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) to screen 453 neonatal intensive care unit neonates who had at least one risk factor for hearing impairment. Results: In the initial examination, 382 (84.3%) infants passed and 71 (15.7%) failed a-ABRs. Out of those who failed, 39 newborns (55%) passed the transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) test, while 32 (45%) failed that test too. Re-examination was performed before their first month of age, eventually resulting in 8 newborns being diagnosed with possible hearing loss and 8 with possible auditory neuropathy. The overall dropout rate was 4.9%. Low birth-weight (p=0.016), as well as craniofacial abnormalities (p=0.03) and TORCH (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes) infections proved to have a statistically significant correlation (p=0.05) with hearing impairment. Conclusions: Because a significant number of children may have auditory neuropathy, ABRs and OAEs (both transiently evoked and distortion product OAEs) remain the cornerstones of any universal hearing screening program in neonatal intensive care units. An efficient tracking system is needed to reduce the number of neonates lost to follow-up. Low birth-weight, craniofacial deformities, and congenital infections appear to be the most significant factors predisposing an infant to hearing impairment.
Authors and Affiliations
Emmanouil Nisotakis, Vasilios Chalkiadakis, Pavlos Marangoudakis, Antonios Tzagkaroulakis, Thomas Nikolopoulos
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP374478
- DOI 10.17430/901784
- Views 51
- Downloads 0
REPORT ON THE 17TH ANNUAL MEETING AND SCIENTIFIC SESSION OF THE BIOFEEDBACK FEDERATION OF EUROPE, 11–15 FEBRUARY 2014, VENICE, ITALY
.
MATURATION OF TEMPORAL PROCESSING IN CHILDREN: MEASUREMENTS USING SPEECH AND NON-SPEECH STIMULI
Background: Auditory temporal processing is the ability of the nervous system to detect small variations in the duration of an acoustic stimuli. A substantial body of research is available on the development of various t...
DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF HIGH-FREQUENCY DISTORTIONPRODUCT OTOACOUSTIC EMISSION SCREENING OF SCHOOLCHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME
Background: It has been suggested that children with Down syndrome (DS) may display high frequency hearing loss much earlier than those in the general population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnost...
THE EFFECT OF TINNITUS AND PRESBYCUSIS ON CONTRALATERAL SUPPRESSION OF OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS
Background: The medial olivocochlear system (MOCS), part of the efferent auditory pathway, causes an inhibitory effect on the outer hair cells, thus protecting them against extreme noise exposure and improving speech dis...
A REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF WIRELESS SYNCHRONIZED HEARING AIDS
Some paired digital hearing aids use wireless technology to communicate with each other and generate improved binaural information. Coordination between the two ears makes it easier for the brain to identify sound source...