Hearing impairment in premature newborns—Analysis based on the national hearing screening database in Poland

Abstract

ObjectivesThe incidence of sensorineural hearing loss is between 1 and 3 per 1000 in healthy neonates and 2–4 per 100 in high-risk infants. The national universal neonatal hearing screening carried out in Poland since 2002 enables selection of infants with suspicion and/or risk factors of hearing loss. In this study, we assessed the incidence and risk factors of hearing impairment in infants ≤33 weeks’ gestational age (wga).MethodsWe analyzed the database of the Polish Universal Newborns Hearing Screening Program from 2010 to 2013. The study group involved 11438 infants born before 33 wga, the control group—1487730 infants. Screening was performed by means of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions. The risk factors of hearing loss were recorded. Infants who failed the screening test and/or had risk factors were referred for further audiological evaluation.ResultsHearing deficit was diagnosed in 11% of infants ≤25 wga, 5% at 26–27 wga, 3.46% at 28 wga and 2–3% at 29–32 wga. In the control group the incidence of hearing deficit was 0.2% (2.87% with risk factors). The most important risk factors were craniofacial malformations, very low birth weight, low Apgar score and mechanical ventilation. Hearing screening was positive in 22.42% newborns ≤28 wga and 10% at 29–32 wga and in the control group.ConclusionsHearing impairment is a severe consequence of prematurity. Its prevalence is inversely related to the maturity of the baby. Premature infants have many concomitant risk factors which influence the occurrence of hearing deficit.

Visual and Hearing Impairments After Preterm Birth

“…10 In a registerbased study of 11 438 infants born before 33 weeks' gestation in Poland, hearing deficit was diagnosed in 4.2% of children born between weeks 26 and 28 and in 2.3% of children born between weeks 29 and 32. 11 In the current study, the incidences were also higher in MP and LP infants compared with term-born infants.…”

“…The estimated rate of hearing loss has been reported to be 2 to 3 incidences per 1000 live births in the general population and 2 to 4 incidences per 100 infants in a higher risk population. 7,8,11 The overall incidence of hearing loss in our study was 0.37%, and it increased with decreasing GA at birth, being 2.46% in the VP group. These results are in accordance with those of earlier studies.…”

“…28,29 Some studies have revealed this association, but interestingly, in our study this was not found. 11 This is probably due to the fact that we were not aware of bilirubin levels of the cases because of our study design. Thus, the cases with the highest bilirubin levels could not be identified.…”

“…27 Low Apgar scores and mechanical ventilation can be considered as potential markers of hypoxia, and the association of these factors with hearing loss has also been found in other studies on preterm infants. 10,11 Intrauterine growth restriction has been considered to be one of the major mechanisms of sensorineural hearing loss. 9 In the current study, being born SGA and maternal smoking during pregnancy were predictors of hearing loss, and these factors may constitute a common pathway disturbing normal development of the fetal central nervous system and inner ear.…”

Indicadores de risco para a deficiência auditiva e aquisição da linguagem e sua relação com variáveis socioeconômicas, demográficas e obstétricas em bebês pré-termo e a termo

“…For the group of preterm infants aged between 29 and 32 weeks the most frequent RHDI were: ototoxic medication use (60.39%); weight < 1500 grams (40.16%); neonatal ICU stay for more than five days (36.25%) and use of mechanical ventilation (23.38%). For the preterm sample > 32 weeks a frequency of 1.72% was found for ototoxic medication (14) .…”