[Universal newborn hearing screening in Cantabria (Spain): results of the first two years]

We present the results of the first 2 years of universal newborn hearing screening in Cantabria.

We performed a descriptive study of screening with two levels of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in 8,836 newborns, diagnostic confirmation with auditory brainstem response, and treatment.

The coverage of the first two levels of otoacoustic emissions was 98.4 % and 99.5 %. The incidence of risk factors was 3.08 %. A total of 6.7 % of those studied in the first stage were referred to the second, and 0.7 % of those studied in the second stage were referred to testing of auditory brainstem responses. Of the patents referred to the second stage, 97.6 % attended, and of those referred to the third stage 87.1 % attended. The positive predictive value after the second session of otoemissions was 7.9 %, and the false positive rate was 3.3 %. Sensorineural and bilateral hearing loss was diagnosed in 11 children, and permanent unilateral hypoacousia was diagnosed in one child, representing an incidence of 1.38/1,000 newborns. Sixty percent were diagnosed before the age of 3 months and 100 % before the age of 7 months. Fifty percent began treatment before the age of 6 months and 90 % before the age of 1 year. Of three cochlear implants indicated, two were implanted at 11 and 13 months. The cost was 1.3 3 per child screened and 867 3 for each case diagnosed.

All the objectives of the first and second stages of screening were achieved. The continuity index anticipated for the third stage (87.1 vs 95 %) and access to treatment at 6 months (50 % vs 100 %) were less satisfactory, although these results compare favorably with those of previously published studies.