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Neonatal and maternal risk factors for hearing loss in children based on population-based data of Korea
Junhui Jeong1, Tae Mi Youk2, Jangwon Oh1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Insights
Neonatal and maternal factors like brain lesions, maternal hearing loss, ototoxic drug use, and prolonged NICU stays significantly increase children's risk for hearing loss (HL). Early identification of these risk factors is crucial for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Otolaryngology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hearing loss (HL) in children poses significant developmental challenges.
- Identifying risk factors is crucial for early intervention and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify neonatal and maternal risk factors for childhood hearing loss (HL).
- To analyze population-based data for risk factor assessment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of Korean National Health Insurance Service data (2007-2015).
- Comparison of infants with diagnosed hearing disabilities or cochlear implants against a control group.
- Inclusion of various neonatal and maternal factors such as co-existing disabilities, infections, birth weight, and NICU admission.
Main Results:
- Significant risk factors for HL included co-existing disabilities (commonly brain lesions), maternal disability at delivery (commonly hearing loss), ototoxic drug use, and NICU admission for over 5 days.
- A total of 3,164,825 newborns were analyzed, with 847 in the hearing disability group and 2508 in the control group.
Conclusions:
- Brain lesions, maternal hearing disabilities, neonatal ototoxic drug use, and prolonged NICU stays are significant risk factors for childhood HL.
- Population-based data analysis confirms these associations, highlighting areas for targeted screening and care.
Objectives:
We identified the neonatal and maternal risk factors for hearing loss (HL) in children using National Health Insurance Service data of Korea.
Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service. Infants born from 2007 to 2013 were tracked to 2015. Those diagnosed with hearing disabilities or who underwent cochlear implant surgery were included in the hearing disability group. We compared the incidence of any diagnosed disability other than a hearing disability; any maternal disability at delivery; maternal age at delivery; prenatal and neonatal Toxoplasma, syphilis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex infections; craniofacial anomaly; low birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia, and bacterial meningitis; neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission for > 5 days; exchange transfusion; and ototoxic drug use (aminoglycosides or loop diuretics), between the hearing disability and control groups.
Results:
The total number of newborns came to 3,164,825. Risk factors were sought in a hearing disability group (n = 847) compared to a control group (n = 2508). A diagnosed disability other than a hearing disability, which was commonly a brain lesion, the use of ototoxic drugs, NICU admission for >5 days, and a maternal disability at delivery, which was commonly a hearing disability, were significant neonatal and maternal risk factors for HL in children.
Conclusions:
Accompanying brain lesions, maternal hearing disabilities at delivery, use of ototoxic drugs during the neonatal period, and hospitalization in NICU for >5 days were significant risk factors for HL in children, as revealed by analysis of population-based data.
