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Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Sensorineural and conductive hearing loss in infants diagnosed in the program of universal newborn hearing screening
Katarzyna Wroblewska-Seniuk1, Piotr Dabrowski2, Grazyna Greczka2
1Department of Newborns' Infectious Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, ul. Polna 33, 60-535 Poznan, Poland.
Insights
This study analyzed infant hearing deficits, finding hyperbilirubinemia linked to sensorineural loss and craniofacial anomalies to conductive loss. Sensorineural deficits were often severe and bilateral, unlike milder conductive types.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Neonatal Screening
- Hearing Impairment Etiology
Background:
- Hearing deficit in infants presents significant developmental challenges.
- Early identification and understanding of risk factors are crucial for effective intervention.
- Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) aims to detect hearing loss early.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the characteristics of sensorineural and conductive hearing deficits in infants.
- To identify specific risk factors associated with different types of infant hearing loss.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screening in diagnosing hearing deficits.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of infant hearing deficit cases identified through the UNHS program.
- Review of medical records to determine hearing deficit type, severity, and associated risk factors.
- Statistical comparison of risk factor prevalence across sensorineural, conductive, and mixed hearing loss groups.
Main Results:
- Out of 27,935 infants screened, 109 (0.39%) had hearing deficits: 51.4% conductive, 34.9% sensorineural, 13.8% mixed.
- Hyperbilirubinemia was a significant risk factor for sensorineural hearing deficit (p < 0.05).
- Isolated craniofacial anomalies were associated with conductive hearing loss (p < 0.05).
- Sensorineural hearing loss was more frequently bilateral, severe, and profound compared to mild conductive/mixed types.
- Otoacoustic emissions showed the highest agreement rate with the final diagnosis for sensorineural hearing loss (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Hyperbilirubinemia and isolated craniofacial malformations are key risk factors distinguishing sensorineural and conductive hearing deficits, respectively.
- Sensorineural hearing deficits are typically severe and bilateral, whereas conductive and mixed types are usually mild.
- Newborn hearing screening using otoacoustic emissions is highly effective for detecting sensorineural hearing loss.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to analyze infants diagnosed with sensorineural or conductive hearing deficit and to identify risk factors associated with these defects.
Material And Methods:
A retrospective analysis of infants diagnosed with hearing deficit based on the database of the universal newborn hearing screening program and medical records of the patients.
Results:
27 935 infants were covered by the universal neonatal hearing screening program. 109 (0.39%) were diagnosed with hearing deficit and referred for treatment and rehabilitation. 56 (51.4%) children were diagnosed with conductive, 38 (34.9%) with sensorineural and 15 (13.8%) with mixed type of hearing deficit. Children with sensorineural hearing deficit more frequently suffered from hyperbilirubinemia (p < 0.05), while infants with conductive hearing loss were more frequently diagnosed with isolated craniofacial anomalies (p < 0.05). The prevalence of other risk factors did not differ between the groups. Sensorineural hearing deficit occurred almost 3 times more often bilaterally than unilaterally (p < 0.05). In other types of hearing deficit, the difference was not significant. In children with conductive and mixed type of hearing loss the impairment was mainly mild while among those with sensorineural hearing deficit in almost 45% it was severe and profound (p < 0.05). When analyzing the consistency between hearing screening test by means of otoacoustic emissions and the final diagnosis of hearing deficit we found that the highest agreement rate was observed in children with sensorineural hearing loss (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
The prevalence of most risk factors of hearing deficit was similar in children with sensorineural, conductive and mixed type of hearing loss, only hyperbilirubinemia seemed to predispose to sensorineural hearing deficit and isolated craniofacial malformations seemed to be associated with conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing deficit usually occurred bilaterally and was severe or profound, while conductive and mixed type of hearing deficit were most often of mild degree. Most children with the final diagnosis of sensorineural hearing deficit had positive result of hearing screening by means of otoacoustic emissions.
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