Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital newborn hearing screening results and assessment of the patients

Analysis of Newborn Hearing Screening Test Results of Children with Down Syndrome

Aim:

The aim of this study was to analyze newborn hearing screening test results of children with Down syndrome (DS).

Methods:

The files of 84 children with DS and 84 healthy children (control group) admitted to the Pediatrics Polyclinics of the Konya Training and Research Hospital between January 2017 and June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results:

Thirty-one of the 84 babies with DS were female (36.9%), and 53 were male (63.1%); 37 of the 84 babies in the control group were female (44%), and and 47 were male (56%) (P = .346). Fortty-eight (57.1%) of the 84 babies with DS and 17 (20.2%) of the 84 babies in the control group failed the first screening test (P < .001). It was determined that 24 (50%) of the 48 infants with DS who failed the first test also failed the second test and were referred, and all 17 infants in the control group who failed the first test passed the second test (P < .001). There was no significant difference in terms of birth weight, gestational week, and maternal age between infants with DS who failed and passed after the second screening test (P > .05 for all).

Conclusion:

Our study shows that birth weight, gestational age, and maternal age do not pose an additional risk for hearing loss in DS babies who do not have known risk factors for hearing loss.

Newborn hearing screening results: Comparison of Syrian and Turkish newborns; factors influencing the difference

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare the hearing screening results of Syrian and Turkish newborns and reveal the risk factors faced by Syrian refugees.

METHODS

The neonatal hearing screening results of newborns born in, or admitted to, the Sanliurfa Research and Education Hospital, Sanliurfa/Turkey, between January 01, 2018, and December 31, 2018, were analyzed. Newborns with congenital anomalies and syndromes were excluded from the study. Also, the neonatal hearing screening results and risk factors of newborns diagnosed with hearing loss were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 6034 Syrian and 37,219 Turkish newborns were included in the study. Hearing loss was found in 84 (0.2%) of 37,219 Turkish newborns and 26 (0.4%) of 6034 Syrian newborns. In this study, the risk factors such as consanguineous marriages, familial hearing loss, hospitalization in intensive care, prematurity, low birth weight (less than 1500 g), hyperbilirubinemia, use of ototoxic drugs, history of congenital infection, blood incompatibility, and trauma at birth were found in newborns with hearing loss. The risk factors were present in 41.7% of Turkish newborns and 65.4% of Syrian newborns with hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONS

The high hearing loss rates found in Syrian newborns showed how accurate it was to include the Syrian migrants born in Turkey into the neonatal hearing screening program and the newborns with hearing loss into appropriate rehabilitation programs. Further studies should focus on the risk factors faced by Syrian migrants so that the number of Syrian newborns with hearing loss can be reduced.

Comparison of hearing screening results of Syrian refugees and Turkish newborns

OBJECTIVE

To analyze Turkish (Host) and Syrian (Refugee) newborn hearing screening results and factors of risk.

METHODS

All newborns between 02.12.2017 and 31.06.2019 were screened with Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) test. A total of 874 newborns were examined (172 refugee and 702 host newborns). All screened patients were questioned in terms of consanguineous marriage, speech disorder in family, delivery method (normal vaginal birth/caesarean birth), birth weight, birth week, newborn intensive care unit (ICU) necessity, newborn icterus and phototherapy.

RESULT

As for the host newborns, 360 (51.3%) passed ABR screening, 161 (23%) failed in either one ear, and 181 (25.8%) failed both ears. As for the refugee newborns, 60 (34.9%) passed ABR screening, 38 (22.1%) failed in either one ear, and 74 (43.0%) failed both ears. There was a significant statistical difference between host and refugee newborns' ears in terms of hearing loss detected in the screening test (p = 0.017). In terms of delivery method, the caesarean rate was higher in refugees, and a statistically significant difference existed between two groups (p = 0.023). There was a significant difference between refugee newborns and host newborns in terms of newborn ICU necessity rate (p = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

It was demonstrated clearly that hearing screening test results between the two groups were affected by low socio-economic level when host and refugees newborns were compared. In line with the findings of this study, it should be taken into account that bad living conditions depending on war and immigration throughout pregnancy, delivery method, and the need for newborn ICU in the newborn period may affect hearing results in newborns significantly.

Hearing screening failure rate in newborn infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to establish the local incidence of hearing screening failure rate in newborns with all three stages of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was undertaken in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Medical records and hearing secreening test results were collected for two years.

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety seven infants diagnosed with HIE, 20 of them died, 177 screened. Thirty five of 177 (19%) infants failed in screening test for hearing. Screening failure rate was 10/51 (19%), 20/105 (19%) and 5/21 (23%) in stage 1, 2 and 3, respectively and did not differ between HIE stages (p = 0.88). Furthermore failure rates were similar between infants who received therapeutic hypothermia or not (20% vs 19%, p = 0.84).

CONCLUSION

Hearing screening failure rate in HIE is quite high even in Stage 1 infants. Management and treatment of these infants should be made carefully concerning additional risks for hearing loss and long term follow-up even in Stage 1 HIE infants should be planned strictly.

The follow-up results of newborn hearing screening of Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Research and Training Hospital

Aim

This study aimed to present the results of newborns who were referred to advanced audiology centers after newborn hearing screening, and to determine concordance of our results with the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines about the ages of hearing loss, aid fitting, and cochlear implantation.

Materials and Methods

A total of 7502 newborns were screened in Gaziosmanpaşa Taksim Research and Training Hospital between March 2014 and June 2016 using the transient otoacustic emissions test as the first two steps and automated auditory brainstem response test for the third step. Newborns who had risk factors were screened using the automated auditory brainstem response only. Newborns who failed the screening tests were referred to advanced audiology centers.

Results

Of the 7502 newborns, 6736 (90%) completed the screening. The ratio of hearing loss was 0.08%. Six of 62 newborns who failed auditory brainstem response test and were referred to advanced audiology centers had severe bilateral hearing loss. One of the patients was not fitted with a hearing aid because the family refused it. The other one was not fitted an aid and did not undergo cochlear implantation because of severe and treatment-resistant acute otitis media. The age of diagnosis for the rest was before three months, and except for one patient, hearing aid fitting was before six months. The age of cochlear implantation was 12 months for two patients and 14 months for two patients.

Conclusion

Ninety percent of patients completed the screening, the age of diagnosis for hearing loss was before three months and aid fitting was before six months, except for one patient. The results of the study were compatible with the diagnosis and treatment guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Universal newborn hearing screening using A-TEOAE and A-ABR: The experience of a large public hospital

BACKGROUND

Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) aims to identify hearing loss in the early postnatal period; prompt detection of bilateral or unilateral hearing loss is mandatory for timely intervention.

METHODS

This retrospective study reports the results of the first two years of a UNHS program on 4,719 newborns in a large public Italian hospital. Screening was divided into two levels: automated transient otoacoustic emissions were used for first level; automated auditory brainstem response for second level. Second level included children with a "refer" response at first level and babies with a family history for hearing loss or other risk factors. Hearing loss diagnosis was made using clinical auditory brainstem response.

RESULTS

During first level, 254 (5.4% ) newborns were "refer". At retest, 130 (51.1% ) babies were PASS and 48 (18.8% ) were "refer". 76 babies dropped out (29.9% ). 146 babies (3.1% ) were referred to the second level: 48 for a "refer" response at first level and 98 for a PASS response but potential hearing loss due to risk factors. 24 babies dropped out (16.4% ). Out of 122 newborns tested in the second level, 105 (86.1% ) had a PASS response and 17 (13.9% ) were "refer". Our screening protocol identified 7 (0.14% ) babies with profound hearing loss; 5 had unilateral and 2 had bilateral hearing loss. 2 babies dropped out at diagnostic level (11.8% ).

CONCLUSIONS

A correct and early diagnosis of hearing loss is mandatory to prevent permanent consequences; the spread of hearing screening programs is the optimal solution to reach this goal.