All issues > Volume 49(8); 2006

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2006;49(8):845-850. Published online August 15, 2006.

Incidence of hearing loss and importance of risk factors in the neonatal intensive care unit

Seung Hyun SH Kong¹, Jang Hee JH Kang¹, Kwang Su KS Hwang¹, Joong Pyo JP Kim¹, Hyeon Jung HJ Lee¹, Hyeon H Choi¹, Ji Sun JS Mok¹, Jung Young JY Kim¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Good Moonhwa Hospital, Busan, Korea

Correspondence Ji Sun JS Mok ,Email: nicedoc@paran.com

Abstract

Purpose
: To assess the incidence of neonatal hearing loss in a neonatal intensive care unit and the relative importance of risk factors for hearing imparement in a neonatal intensive care unit which the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing(JCIH) had recommended.
Methods
: One thousand, two hundred and one newborns admitted to the Good Moonhwa Intensive Care Unit from May 2003 to December 2005 were assesed using the automated auditory brainstem response(AABR). The screening was performed on those aged more than 36 weeks and weighing more than 2,200 g. We divided the infants into two groups, ‘pass’ and ‘refer’. The ‘refer’ group were retested one month later, and if classified as ‘refer’ during the retest, were referred to a hearing impairment clinic.
Results
: From the 1,201 neonates, 1,187(98.8 percent) passed the test and 14(1.2 percent) failed. 293(24.4 percent) of the 1,201 neonates had a risk factor for hearing impairment; 282(96.2 percent) passed the test and 11(3.8 percent) failed. The group with risk factors were shown to have a higher incidence of hearing loss(P<0.001). The neonates in the refer group were shown to have a higher incidence of ototoxic drugs(P<0.001), low birth weight(<1,500 g)(P<0.001) and craniofacial anomalies(P=0.007). On the other hand, there were no statistical differences between the pass and refer groups in congenital infection, hyperbilirubinemia, bacterial meningitis, low Apgar scores, prolonged mechanical ventilation and syndromes known to include hearing loss.
Conclusion
: In order to identify hearing-impaired infants within an appropriate period, neonatal hearing screening tests and identification of the risk factors for neonatal hearing loss are important.

Keywords :Neonatal hearing loss , Atomated auditory brainstem response