[Evaluation of infant hearing loss with high-risk factors after failed hearing screening]

To evaluate the characters and hearing changes of the infants failed in hearing screening with high-risk factors for hearing loss.

Two hundred and forty-four infants (488 ears) who failed in the hearing screening or with the different results between the first and second screening, were tested by auditory brainstem response (ABR), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and acoustic immittance measurement in this study.

(1) A little proportion results among the three DPOAE screening was variable, the pass rate in the right-ear was higher than that in the left-ear. (2) Forty-five of 184 ears which had passed the third DPOAE evaluation had the abnormal ABR results, the discrepancy rate between the two methods was 24.5% (45/184); 20 of 304 ears which failed in the hearing screening had a normal ABR results, with the discrepancy rate of 6.6% (20/304). (3) The highest proportion of abnormal result of the ABR in each groups was mild hearing loss, normal ABR in each groups also had a large proportion. The proportion of moderate hearing loss in the group of no more than three months old infants was significantly increased compared with the other two groups (P < 0.01), and no significant difference of severe hearing loss among the three groups (P > 0.05). (4) More than 70% of type A tympanogram was found in each groups (P > 0.05), the ratio of type B in moderately abnormal group was higher than other groups. Type C was only detected in one ear with severe hearing loss. (5) 29.5% infants had suffered the hyperbilirubinemia, which was much higher than the other risk factors (P < 0.05).

The hearing loss of infants with high-risk factors are mostly mild, and show some indication of fluctuating. Some moderate hearing loss have the tendency to changes better. The combined use of electrophysiological measures can improve the accuracy of hearing evaluation.