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Otoacoustic emission testing in Ghanaian children with sickle-cell disease
Josua Kegele1, Helene Hurth1, Peter Lackner1
1Department of Neurology, NICU, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Insights
Hearing loss is not a common complication in children with sickle-cell disease (SCD). This study found no significant difference in hearing function between children with SCD and healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Hematology
- Genetics
Background:
- Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder with various potential complications.
- Hearing impairment can be a complication of chronic illnesses, necessitating evaluation in pediatric SCD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of hearing loss in children diagnosed with sickle-cell disease.
- To determine if hearing impairment is a significant complication in pediatric SCD patients.
Main Methods:
- Transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) testing was performed on 35 children with SCD (ages 6 months to 10 years) in Kumasi, Ghana.
- A control group of healthy Ghanaian children from school and kindergarten settings was recruited for comparison.
Main Results:
- One child with SCD (2.9%) and 13 control children (11.3%) failed the TEOAE testing.
- The observed difference in TEOAE failure rates between the SCD group and the control group was not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Early-onset hearing impairment is not a regular occurrence in children with sickle-cell disease.
- Hearing loss is unlikely to be a primary cause of delayed or impaired language development in pediatric SCD patients.
Objective:
To evaluate hearing loss in children as a complication of sickle-cell disease.
Methods:
In Kumasi, Ghana, 35 children with SCD aged 6 months to 10 years underwent transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions testing (TEOAE) to investigate the function of the inner ear. Healthy Ghanaian children recruited in school and kindergarten served as controls.
Results:
One of 35 children with SCD and 13 of 115 control children failed the otoacoustic emissions testing. This difference between the control group and the children with SCD was not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
Early hearing impairment does not regularly occur in sickle-cell disease, and in children, it is not a likely cause of delayed or impaired language development.
