Auditory assessment of neonates at high risk of hearing impairment admitted to the intensive care unit

Abstract

Background: Permanent hearing loss is a common neonatal health problem which leads to deleterious effects on language, speech development and academic outcome. Its prevalence is much higher in newborns that need neonatal intensive care admission. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study included 314 neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit. The inclusion criteria included neonates with risk factors of hearing loss. They were all evaluated by Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). Automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) was done at 3 months of age for those who failed TEOAE screening. Results: Out of 314 neonates, 4.5% were diagnosed by permanent hearing loss. No statistical significance was detected between hearing loss and gender (P = 0.61), prematurity (P = 0.529) and birth weight (P = 0.076). The most common risk factor detected was ototoxic drug intake, with aminoglycosides being the most frequent. There was a significant P value between ototoxic medications and hearing loss (P = 0.018). The highest percentage of cases with hearing loss was detected among neonates who received both aminoglycosides and vancomycin. Conclusion: The prevalence of permanent hearing loss among admitted neonates at risk of hearing loss are high.