Retrospective Review of Hearing Screening Results of 3,613 Newborns

XIAO Zhiyong; CHEN Wenqian; SU Yafei; HUANG Zhirong; Yu wenlong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2018.02.024

Abstract：Objective To investigate the incidence of newborn hearing loss.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the results of hearing screening in 3,592 newborns from 2013 to 2014 in our hospital,including 2,891 normal full term infants,166 premature babies,61 low weight births,69 with mild-to-moderate suffocation and 405 with fetal distress.We used transient evoked otoacoustic emissions(TEOAE)for both primary and secondary screening.Upon failing second-ary screening,the baby was referred for diagnostic otoacoustic emissions,acoustic immittance and auditory brainstem re-sponse(ABR)evaluation.Results The 3,592 newborns were screened within 48-72 hours after birth(primary screening rate=99.42%).Four hundred fifty seven of the 3,592 babies(13.26%)failed the primary screening(unilaterally in 299 and bilaterally in 158).Of the 457 babies failing the primary screening,360(78.77%)received secondary screening on postpartum day 42,with 79(21.94%)failing again.The pass rate in primary screening was 90.10%(2601/2891)for nor-mal term babies,72.8%(121/166)for premature newborns,75.4%(46/61)for those with low birth weight,69.5%(48/69)in those with mild-to-moderate suffocation and 83.9%(340/405)in those with fetal distress.Hearing loss was diag-nosed in 15 newborns,including 5(0.17%)of the normal term newborns.Hearing impairment risk factors(premature birth,low birth weight,mild-to-moderate suffocation and fetal distress)were identified in 10(1.43%)of the newborns. Conclusion Hearing screening pass rate in premature and low birth weight newborns and newborns with mild to moder-ate suffocation or fetal distress is lower compared to normal term newborns,with more of these babies likely to be diag-nosed with hearing loss.