Risk factors for hearing loss in neonates

Abstract

Background An estimated 6 of 1,000 children with live birthssuffer from permanent hearing loss at birth or the neonatal period.At least 90% of cases occur in developing countries. Hearing lossshould be diagnosed as early as possible so that intervention canbe done before the age of 6 months.Objective To determine risk factors for hearing loss inneonates.Methods We performed a case-control study involving 100neonates with and without hearing loss who were born atSanglah Hospital, Denpasar from November 2012 to February2013. Subjects were consisted of 2 groups, those with hearingloss (case group of 50 subjects) and without hearing loss (controlgroup of 50 subjects). The groups were matched for gender andbirth weight. We assessed the following risk factors for hearingloss: severe neonatal asphyxia, hyperbilirubinemia, meningitis,history of aminoglycoside therapy, and mechanical ventilationby Chi-square analysis. The results were presented as odds ratioand its corresponding 95% confidence intervals.Results Seventy percent of neonates with hearing loss had historyof aminoglycoside therapy. Multivariable analysis revealed thataminoglycoside therapy of 14 days or more was a significant riskfactor for hearing loss (OR 2.7; 95%CI 1.1 to 6.8; P=0.040).There were no statistically significant associations betweenhearing loss and severe asphyxia, hyperbilirubinemia, meningitis,or mechanical ventilation.Conclusion 􀀤􀁐􀁌􀁑􀁒􀁊􀁏􀁜􀁆􀁒􀁖􀁌􀁇􀁈􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀁕􀁄􀁓􀁜􀀃􀁉􀁒􀁕􀀃􀂕􀀃􀀔􀀗􀀃􀁇􀁄􀁜􀁖􀀃􀁚􀁄􀁖􀀃􀁌􀁇􀁈􀁑􀁗􀁌􀁉􀁌􀁈􀁇􀀃as a risk factor for hearing loss in neonates. [