RISK FACTORS AFFECTING THE NEWBORN ABR SCREENING TEST RESULTS
Giresun Üniversitesi, Prof Dr. A. İlhan Özdemir Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, KBB Kliniği, Giresun, Türkiye Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for newborn hearing loss and to reveal the association of these factors with ABR screening results.Materials and Methods: We included 156 patients undergone ABR screening in our Audiology unit because of transient otoacuoustic emissions failure and/or having a risk factor. We noted the birth weights and risk factors of all patients. We compared the mean gestational ages, mean birth weights, the mean ratios of presence of postnatal intensive care treatment, neonatal jaundice, jaundice requiring phototherapy, head and neck anomaly, consanguinity of parents and the presence of congenital hearing loss in family members between the 66 patients with failed ABR and the 90 patients with passed ABR.
Results: Mean gestational age of the group with failed ABR was significantly lower (38.1 ±2.6 and 39.25 ±1.4 weeks, respectively) (p=0.002), and mean birth weight was significantly lower compared with the group with passed ABR (3031.7 ±648 and 3434.82 ±211 gr, respectively) (p<0.001). Mean ratio of presence of intensive care treatment was significantly higher in the group with failed ABR (p=0.005, X2=7.807). Mean ratios of presence of neonatal jaundice and jaundice requiring phototherapy were higher in the group with failed ABR, without a statistical significance (p=0.49, p=0.65).
Conclusion: The factors most related to ABR screening results might be lower birth weight, preterm birth and having a postnatal intensive care treatment. Physicians should be careful about the early diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hearing loss in the patients with these risk factors.
Keywords : ABR, hearing loss, newborn, intensive care, screening