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Hearing screening in at-risk neonate cohort
M Hess1, U Finckh-Krämer, M Bartsch
1Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Benjamin Franklin Medical Center, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. hessmark@zedat.fu-berlin.de
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
|April 6, 1999
Summary
Hearing impairment affects 1.4% of at-risk neonates. While aminoglycosides were common, other factors like malformations were more strongly linked to hearing loss in this NICU population.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Audiology
- Pediatric medicine
Background:
- Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) care for high-risk infants.
- Hearing impairment is a significant concern in this population.
- Early detection and intervention are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of hearing impairment in at-risk neonates.
- To identify potential risk factors for hearing loss in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 942 neonates screened from 1990-1997.
- Utilized transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA).
Main Results:
- 1.4% of infants had bilateral hearing impairment (>30 dB).
- Aminoglycoside use was noted in all affected infants, but other factors (dysmorphism, prenatal infections, family history) were more probable causes.
- Birth weight (1000-1500g) and gestational age (29-31 weeks) were not predictive markers.
Conclusions:
- Aminoglycosides may not be a significant risk factor for hearing impairment when monitored.
- Malformations are a notable cause of hearing loss in NICU infants, requiring further investigation and management.
- Improved NICU care may reduce hearing impairment risk in certain groups.