Risk Factors For Hearing Loss Research Articles

Prevalence and risk factors for hearing loss in children with cancer receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Prevalence and risk factors for hearing loss in children with cancer receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Assessment of hearing sequelae in individuals tested post-trauma.

Over 5% of the global population (430 million people) require rehabilitation for hearing loss. Individuals with hearing impairments face significant challenges in business, daily life, and social participation. Hearing loss (HL) and other permanent physical and sensory disabilities escalate dramatically in cases with brain damage and temporal bone trauma associated with head injuries. This study aims to identify the significant risk factors for hearing loss following head trauma, utilizing current data, and discuss the findings in the context of the literature. This could contribute to the development of standard approaches for assessing such cases. This retrospective study reviewed files and reports from individuals assessed for hearing loss at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine. The study included cases that applied at least 12 months post-trauma, between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2022, after their recovery process was completed. Sociodemographic data, types of temporal bone fractures, initial otoscopic examination findings, presence or absence of intracranial injury, type of hearing loss, and audiometry test results for air and bone conduction pure tone threshold averages were evaluated. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Out of 244 cases, 177 (72.5%) were male and 67 (27.5%) were female. It was observed that the majority of trauma cases occurred in the 19-40 age group (49.2%; n=120). In the initial otoscopic examinations post-trauma, otorrhagia/otorrhea was the most common finding, both as an isolated symptom (n=59, 24.2%) and when accompanied by other symptoms. No temporal bone fractures were detected in 43 cases (17.6%). Longitudinal fractures were found in 141 cases (57.8%), transverse fractures in 48 (19.7%), and mixed-type fractures in 12 (4.9%). The statistical difference in air conduction and bone conduction pure tone threshold averages between groups with and without intracranial injury was significant (p<0.001). Post-traumatic examinations should employ a multidisciplinary approach, adhering to standard medical improvement and assessment timelines. It is essential to verify whether each patient's medical improvement process has reached its maximum potential. We believe that adhering to these recommendations and utilizing standardized classifications for hearing loss will prevent the loss of rights.

Risk of sound-induced hearing loss from exposure to video gaming or esports: a systematic scoping review

BackgroundThere is little information on whether video gaming might be a modifiable risk factor for hearing loss and/or tinnitus, despite the plausibility of these relationships given that video games are...

Evaluation of newborn hearing screening results of infants with phenylketonuria

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is comparing the newborn hearing screening failure rate between phenylketonuria (PKU) infants and matched healthy control infants. Patients and methodsBetween April 2021 and April 2023, data obtained from the national newborn hearing screening program were examined for patients who presented to the pediatric metabolism clinic of Konya City Hospital with a clinical and genetic diagnosis of PKU. A healthy control group, matched for age and gender, was established. The newborn hearing screening test results, demographic information, and pregnancy data of infants with PKU and the control group were compared to assess risk factors. ResultsIn the initial screening test, 23 out of 73 PKU infants (31.5%) and 12 out of 73 infants in the control group (16.4%) failed the test (p = 0.033). Among the 23 PKU infants who did not pass the first test, 9 (35%) also failed the second test and were referred. In contrast, all 12 infants in the control group who did not pass the first test passed the second test. The failure rate in the second test was significantly higher in PKU infants compared to the control group (p = 0.003). It was observed that the maternal age of PKU infants who underwent the second test was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.029). Diagnostic hearing test results were found to be normal in all nine PKU patients who failed the secondary screening test and were referred to a tertiary center. ConclusionIn our study, it was determined that infants with phenylketonuria (PKU) who did not have any risk factors for hearing loss failed the hearing screening test significantly more than healthy infants.

Prevalence and risk factors of hearing loss in high-risk neonates at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai

Background: The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of hearing loss using measurements of otoacoustic emission (OAE) in newborns admitted to NICU and to determine the risk factors predictive of hearing impairment in these newborns. Methods: This was a Prospective observational study conducted among 220 newborns admitted to the NICU over 18 months. Ethical clearance was obtained from the IEC. The sample size was obtained by the universal sampling technique. All candidates underwent hearing assessment in a sound-treated room in the department using a distortion product OAEs (DPOAE) test at the time of discharge. Babies who did not pass the initial screening underwent another OAE test within one month after being discharged. If they failed the test again, they were referred to an otologist for BERA. Results: Of the 226 neonates included in the study, 40 cases (17.7%) failed the initial screening. 29 cases (12.8%) failed the second OAE screening and were subjected to BERA. Risk factors included asphyxia (p≤0.001), mechanical ventilation (p&lt;0.0004), history of ototoxic medication (p=0.004), neonates with hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusion (p=0.005), low Apgar scores (p≤0.001). Conclusions: A two-stage OAE hearing screening can be a suitable method for early detection of hearing impairment in newborns. This method has shown high prevalence of hearing loss among high-risk neonates but needs to be confirmed with diagnostic BERA. It is crucial to have universal hearing screening to detect the large number of hearing-impaired neonates in the newborn population of our country, including those who are not considered at risk.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA RISK AND LONGITUDINAL TRAJECTORY OF FUNCTIONAL HEARING LOSS OVER EIGHT YEARS OF FOLLOW-UP

Abstract Hearing loss prevention is important for physical, cognitive and psychosocial health among older adults. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) might cause functional hearing loss through ischemic damages to the cochlea or central auditory processing, but there is a lack of longitudinal evidence. The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) is a longitudinal panel survey of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+ years. STOP-Bang is a validated screening tool for OSA risk and a subsample of NHATS round 3 participants responded to a modified version (age&amp;gt;50, male, high blood pressure, body mass index &amp;gt;35 kg/m2, snore loudly, observed apnea, tiredness; range 0-7, elevated risk if ≥3). Functional hearing loss at follow-up (rounds 3-11) was defined as self-reported deafness, hearing aid use, or inability to hear well enough to use the telephone or have conversations in a room with the television or radio on. We used generalized estimating equations logistic regression with inverse probability attrition weighting, adjusting for demographics and comorbidities. Among 1,433 participants, elevated OSA (58%) was associated with higher odds of hearing loss at baseline (odds ratio:1.50, 95% confidence interval[CI]:1.08, 2.10). Both OSA groups had significant annual increases in odds of functional hearing loss (Low:1.07, 95% CI:1.01, 1.13; Elevated:1.12, 95% CI:1.07, 1.18) during the first 4 years. Afterwards, the low OSA risk group continued to have significant increase in odds of functional hearing loss but not the elevated OSA risk group. OSA might be a novel risk factor for hearing loss. Screening and treating OSA might be important for hearing loss prevention.

Knowledge and attitudes of primary care physicians regarding childhood hearing loss in Malaysia.

Childhood hearing loss is a significant health concern. Early identification and intervention are essential to maximize hearing potential and developmental outcomes, with primary care physicians (PCPs) playing a pivotal role in this process. This study aimed to assess PCPs' knowledge and attitudes toward childhood hearing loss, investigate the association between knowledge and attitudes, and examine the influence of demographic factors on PCPs' knowledge and attitudes towards childhood hearing loss. This cross-sectional study was conducted from 30 November 2017 to 30 July 2018 at three public health clinics in Malaysia, specifically in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Terengganu. A self-administered questionnaire assessed PCPs' knowledge of general facts, diagnosis and intervention, and risk factors for childhood hearing loss. Additionally, the questionnaire evaluated PCPS' attitudes across cognitive, affective, and behavioural domains regarding childhood hearing loss. Most participants lacked sufficient knowledge about childhood hearing loss, with 61.4% not seeing it as a major health issue. Almost half (45.9%) didn't know that children with hearing loss can succeed in regular schools, and 78% were unaware that hearing aids don't fully restore normal hearing. Participants' awareness of risk factors varied widely, ranging from 24.6% to 90.3%. Despite these knowledge gaps, participants generally had positive attitudes towards childhood hearing loss, especially in cognitive and behavioural aspects. The study found a strong positive link between knowledge and attitudes, but demographic factors didn't significantly affect them. This study highlights the urgent need to address knowledge gaps among Malaysian PCPs regarding childhood hearing loss. While these knowledge gaps exist, PCPs' positive attitudes form a foundation for developing targeted educational interventions to improve PCPs' knowledge and skills in managing childhood hearing loss. Collaborative efforts are essential to translate these findings into meaningful improvements in paediatric audiological care.

Analysis of audiological outcomes of children referred from a universal newborn hearing screening program over 9 years in Beijing, China

Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) and audiological diagnosis are crucial for children with congenital hearing loss (HL). The objective of this study was to analyze hearing screening techniques, audiological outcomes and risk factors among children referred from a UNHS program in Beijing. A retrospective analysis was performed in children who were referred to our hospital after failing UNHS during a 9-year period. A series of audiological diagnostic tests were administered to each case, to confirm and determine the type and degree of HL. Risk factors for HL were collected. Of 1839 cases, 53.0% were referred after only transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) testing, 46.1% were screened by a combination of TEOAE and automatic auditory brainstem response (AABR) testing, and 1.0% were referred after only AABR testing. HL was confirmed in 55.7% of cases. Ears with screening results that led to referral experienced a more severe degree of HL than those with results that passed. Risk factors for HL were identified in 113 (6.1%) cases. The main risk factors included craniofacial anomalies (2.7%), length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit longer than 5 days (2.4%) and birth weight less than 1500 g (0.8%). The statistical data showed that age (P < 0.001) and risk factors, including craniofacial anomalies (P < 0.001) and low birth weight (P = 0.048), were associated with the presence of HL. This study suggested that hearing screening plays an important role in the early detection of HL and that children with risk factors should be closely monitored.

Abnormal Cholesterol Metabolism and Lysosomal Dysfunction Induce Age-Related Hearing Loss by Inhibiting mTORC1-TFEB-Dependent Autophagy.

Cholesterol is a risk factor for age-related hearing loss (ARHL). However, the effect of cholesterol on the organ of Corti during the onset of ARHL is unclear. We established a mouse model for the ARHL group (24 months, n = 12) and a young group (6 months, n = 12). Auditory thresholds were measured in both groups using auditory brainstem response (ABR) at frequencies of 8, 16, and 32 kHz. Subsequently, mice were sacrificed and subjected to histological analyses, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H&E, Sudan Black B (SBB), and Filipin staining, as well as biochemical assays such as IHC, enzymatic analysis, and immunoblotting. Additionally, mRNA extracted from both young and aged cochlea underwent RNA sequencing. To identify the mechanism, in vitro studies utilizing HEI-OC1 cells were also performed. RNA sequencing showed a positive correlation with increased expression of genes related to metabolic diseases, cholesterol homeostasis, and target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling in the ARHL group as compared to the younger group. In addition, ARHL tissues exhibited increased cholesterol and lipofuscin aggregates in the organ of Corti, lateral walls, and spiral ganglion neurons. Autophagic flux was inhibited by the accumulation of damaged lysosomes and autolysosomes. Subsequently, we observed a decrease in the level of transcription factor EB (TFEB) protein, which regulates lysosomal biosynthesis and autophagy, together with increased mTORC1 activity in ARHL tissues. These changes in TFEB and mTORC1 expression were observed in a cholesterol-dependent manner. Treatment of ARHL mice with atorvastatin, a cholesterol synthesis inhibitor, delayed hearing loss by reducing the cholesterol level and maintaining lysosomal function and autophagy by inhibiting mTORC1 and activating TFEB. The above findings were confirmed using stress-induced premature senescent House Ear Institute organ of Corti 1 (HEI-OC1) cells. The findings implicate cholesterol in the pathogenesis of ARHL. We propose that atorvastatin could prevent ARHL by maintaining lysosomal function and autophagy by inhibiting mTORC1 and activating TFEB during the aging process.

The Association Between Dehydration and the Prognosis of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

There is an urgent need to identify undetermined risk factors for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) for the development of effective treatment strategies. SSNHL is likely associated with vascular insufficiency; however, no study has evaluated the relationship between dehydration and SSNHL. This study aimed to investigate the role of dehydration in the development and prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Retrospective case-control study. Secondary referral hospital. This was a comparative study that compared dehydration parameters between healthy subjects without SSNHL (n = 94) and patients with SSNHL (n = 94). The study also evaluated the effect of dehydrated conditions on the prognosis of SSNHL. We compared dehydration parameters, such as the blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio (BUN/Cre) and plasma osmolality (Posm), between matched healthy subjects without SSNHL and patients with SSNHL. To evaluate the effect of dehydrated conditions on the SSNHL prognosis, the SSNHL patients were divided into 2 groups based on the cutoff value obtained from the receiver operating characteristic analysis: hydrated (n = 50; BUN/Cre <21.4) and dehydrated (n = 44; BUN/Cre ≥21.4) groups. Subsequently, the severity and prognosis of SSNHL were analyzed. The dehydration parameters, BUN/Cre and Posm, were significantly higher in patients with SSNHL than in healthy subjects. The initial hearing levels and SSNHL grades were worse in the dehydrated group than in the hydrated group. Moreover, a dehydrated condition (BUN/Cre ≥21.4) was associated with a poor SSNHL prognosis in all models of the multiple logistic regression analysis. The dehydration parameters of BUN/Cre and Posm were higher in patients with SSNHL than in healthy subjects. Additionally, a dehydrated condition (BUN/Cre ≥21.4) was an independent prognostic factor for SSNHL. Level of evidence: Level 4.

An Analysis of Risk Factors for Hearing Function in Adults Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Gauteng, South Africa

The aim of this study was to explore risk factors for hearing loss or affecting hearing function in adults living with HIV. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select and recruit 132 participants aged 18 years and above from an HIV clinic within the Academic Hospital in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Participants’ hearing were tested using, video otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tones, and speech audiometry. Of the 22.73% prevalence of hearing loss in the sample, the multiple logistic regression, controlling for other variables, indicated that age (AOR) = 1.049; 95%CI: 1.0005 to 1.0978) (p-value = 0.048) and extended use of antiretroviral therapy (AOR) = 1.0073; 95%CI: 0.9312 to 1.0896)) (p-value = 0.856) were strongly associated with the development of hearing loss. Although the odds of male participants to have hearing loss was 2.3572 (95%CI: 0.9394 to 5.915) compared to females, this association was marginal (p-value = 0.068). Current findings provide evidence for the risk factors for hearing loss in adults living with HIV. Given that an extended use of ART and a higher number of CD4 are strongly associated with hearing loss, these findings raise important implications for a focused monitoring for this population in order to identify early signs of hearing loss and implement timeous intervention to reduce the potential impact of hearing loss.

The public healthcare sector of Mauritius: knowledge of and attitudes toward hearing loss among community health workers.

Mauritius does not have community health workers trained in identifying risk factors for hearing loss or in referring patients for diagnostic testing. It is crucial to gather information about the knowledge of and attitudes toward hearing loss among community health workers before involving them in the identification and intervention of hearing loss in Mauritius. To describe the knowledge of and attitudes toward hearing loss among community health workers in Mauritius. A descriptive survey design with quantitative analysis was used. Using non-probability purposive sampling, 125 community health workers which included 94 community health officers and 31 community-based rehabilitation officers were recruited from the five catchment areas of the public healthcare sector. Participants filled in a 15-item paper-based questionnaire on the knowledge of and attitudes toward hearing loss. The questionnaire was internally consistent, with Cronbach alpha scores of 0.759 and 0.863. The overall knowledge of community health workers regarding risk factors and the identification of hearing loss was poor (38.3%). 92.6% of community health workers reported positive attitudes toward hearing loss. General knowledge of hearing loss (P=0.015) and knowledge of risk factors and identification of hearing loss (P=0.005) were significant predictors of attitudes toward hearing loss. Knowledge of and attitudes toward hearing loss were significantly associated with working experience and practice setting (P=0.004). There remains a need to educate community health workers about the risk factors and identification of hearing loss to ensure timely diagnosis and management of hearing loss at the community level.

Association between sleep duration and hearing threshold shifts of adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2016

BackgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to hearing loss (HL). Another sleep characteristics, sleep duration might also be associated with HL, but prior evidence is limited. This study is aimed to investigate the association between sleep duration and hearing level in the adult US population.MethodsIn total, a sample of 2777 individuals aged 20–69 years from the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycle (NHANES, 2015–2016) were investigated in this study. Self-reported sleep duration data was classified into the short-sleep (< 7 h), normal-sleep (7–9 h), and long-sleep (> 9 h) group. Multivariable linear regression models between sleep duration and hearing threshold shifts were estimated. Interactions between sleep duration and age, gender, race, OSA were also considered, and the study population was stratified by age, gender, race, and OSA to analyze the potential disparities among adults in different subgroups.ResultsLong-sleep duration was positively associated with speech- and high-frequency pure-tone average (PTA) thresholds with statistical significance (β = 1.31, 95%CI: 0.10, 2.53, P = 0.0347, and β = 2.71, 95%CI: 0.69, 4.74, P = 0.0087, respectively). When stratified by age, short sleep duration was positively associated with low-, and speech-frequency PTAs (P = 0.0140 and 0.0225, respectively) for adults aged 40–59 years, and long-sleep duration was positively associated with low-, and speech-frequency PTAs (P = 0.0495 and 0.0142, respectively) for adults aged 60–69 years with statistical significance. There was statistically significant interaction between OSA and sleep duration on speech-frequency PTA, but no significant interaction between either gender or race with sleep duration on hearing thresholds among US adults.ConclusionShort/long sleep durations are associated with worse hearing level comparing to sleep 7–9 h in the American adults. Nonoptimal sleep duration may be a potential risk factor for HL.

The Prevalence and Risk Factor of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Industry Workers

Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been gradually noticed for its insidious nature as an occupational hazard concomitant with various adverse personal health and industrial hygiene issues, including tinnitus, temporary threshold shift, hypertension, annoyance, elevated occupational accidents by aprosexia, stress, and poorer production performance. Objective: To assess prevalence and risk factor of noise-induced hearing loss among industry workers. Method: This cross sectional study was carried out at tertiary hospital from January 2021 to 2022, Dhaka. Where 97 workers exposed to noise and administrative controls were enrolled in study as a sample population. A structured questionnaire was developed by the expert-review method and applied to all the subjects with face-to-face interviews. Results: Out of 97 sample, 26 workers were having noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Workers younger than 35 had a 20.59 percent NIHL incidence, while those older than 35 had a 41.38 percent NIHL incidence. The generator area of the plant had the loudest machinery (96-100 dB). As much as 46.67 percent of the generating crew had trouble hearing. Conclusion: We found out that the prevalence of noise induced hearing loss among industry workers. We also found out that workers are overexposed to noise and there is little protection accorded to the workers. It also shows that high noise intensity levels and exposure for long durations leads to hearing loss. Based on the study finding, implementation of hearing conservation programme through development and enforcement of regulations to identify and monitor occupational risk groups, restriction of importation of equipment, which emits dangerous levels of noise, are recommended.

Effects of electric welding on hearing loss and respiratory damage

Objective: To investigate the occupational health status of electric welding workers and explore the effects of electric welding on hearing loss and respiratory damage. Methods: From August to December 2021, the cluster sampling method was used to select workers from an automobile manufacturer in Guangzhou City as research subjects: 636 welding workers in the welding workshop as the welding group, 757 assembly workers in the engine workshop and the final assembly workshop exposed to pure noise as the assembly group. Occupational disease hazard factors were detected for welding positions and assembly positions, and occupational health examination was carried out for research subjects. The occupational health status, the trends of hearing loss and respiratory abnormalities with working age were compared and analyzed between the two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the association between hearing loss and respiratory abnormalities in welding workers. Results: The excess rates of welding fumes, manganese and its compounds in the welding position were both 9.68% (3/31). Its noise exposure intensity [ (85.36±2.68) dB (A) ] and excess rate [48.39% (15/31) ] were not significantly different from those in the assembly position [ (84.86±3.28) dB (A) and 43.24% (16/37) ] (P>0.05). The results of the occupational health examination showed that the detection rates of hearing loss, digital radiography (DR) chest X-ray abnormality, alanine aminotransferase abnormality, deazelaic aminotransferase abnormality and white blood cell count abnormality of workers in the welding group were higher than those in the assembly group (P<0.05). The detection rates of hearing loss, DR chest X-ray abnormality, pulmonary ventilation abnormality in the welding group and the detection rate of hearing loss in the assembly group increased with the working age of the workers (P<0.05). The hearing loss detection rate and DR chest X-ray abnormality detection rate of the workers with ≥9 years working age in the welding group were both higher than those in the assembly group workers with same working age (P<0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal pulmonary ventilation and abnormal DR chest X-ray were the risk factors for hearing loss in welding workers (OR=10.83, 95%CI: 7.31-16.06; OR=16.59, 95%CI: 5.72-48.10; P<0.05) . Conclusion: Hearing loss and respiratory damage are prominent problems among welding workers, and the detection rates of abnormality increase with the working age of the workers. Hearing loss in welding workers is associated with abnormal pulmonary ventilation and abnormal DR chest X-ray.

Incidence of Hearing Loss in Corpus Callosum Agenesis.

Congenital corpus callosum agenesis (CCA) is one of the congenital anomalies in newborns, which usually presents with syndromic features. It can be asymptomatic or have variable neurological deficits. Some studies demonstrated that hearing loss can occur in patients with CCA; however, the exact prevalence remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of hearing loss in CCA using data from newborn hearing screening in a single tertiary referral center. A total of 126 patients with CCA combined with hearing loss diagnosed at our hospital from November 2005 to November 2022 were retrospectively included in our study. All patients had at least one screening or diagnostic auditory brainstem response result. Brain ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to diagnose CCA. Among 126 patients, 93 had automated auditory brainstem response within a month from birth. Of the 93 patients, 20 (21.5%) had a "refer" result in the screening tests in at least one ear. The final incidence of hearing loss in patients with CCA was 16.1%. We observed no hearing loss in 22 patients with isolated CCA. Patients with CCA have a higher incidence of hearing loss. However, this is likely related to the concurrent condition of patients. CCA seems not to be a risk factor for hearing loss.

Incidence of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in adult cancer patients based on audiometric confirmation of patient self-report

IntroductionRobust clinically relevant epidemiological and audiological data are needed to prepare for future clinical trials aiming at preventing cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in this suffering cancer population. We assessed the incidence, severity, and potential risk factors of symptomatic cisplatin-induced hearing loss in a large cohort of adults.MethodsRetrospective cohort study at a tertiary care university hospital. The study group included consecutive patients over 18 years old treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy without concomitant inner ear radiotherapy or other ototoxic medication. Every participant underwent baseline pretreatment audiometry and was asked for audiological symptoms (tinnitus or subjective hearing loss) during the treatment. If symptomatic, comparative standard audiometry (0.125 to 8 kHz) was performed. Hearing loss was defined by a threshold shift ≥15 dB HL in at least one of the tested frequencies.ResultsA total of 401 cancer patients (59% males) with a mean age of 56 years (range 18-80) were included. Eighty-one patients (20%) developed symptomatic hearing loss, predominantly affecting the high frequencies from 4 to 8 kHz. Among them, 49 (60%) experienced simultaneous new-onset tinnitus. None of the analyzed potential risk factors (age, sex, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, chemotherapeutic regimen, and cumulative cisplatin dose) was statistically correlated with hearing loss.DiscussionAt least 1 out of 5 patients treated with cisplatin developed audiological symptoms associated with audiometric hearing loss within the 0.125 to 8 kHz range, for which new-onset tinnitus is a sensitive symptom. Not all audiological symptoms are accompanied by audiometric change. No predisposing factor could be identified. Standardized audiological monitoring before and during cisplatin-based chemotherapy allows quantitative assessment of early audiometric signs of ototoxicity, offering to optimize anticancer therapy while minimizing morbidity in a multidisciplinary setting.

Risk Factors of Hearing Impairment in New Born Infants at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G Ngoerah General Hospital: A Retrospective Study

Introduction: The first year of life is the key to normal speech and language development, as well as intellectual and emotional growth. Identification of risk factors for hearing loss is very important for early detection, early initiation of therapy, and assessing the baby's prognosis. This study aims to determine the risk factors for hearing loss in newborns. Methods: This research is a retrospective study with a case-control study design that was conducted from January to December 2021. The research sample was newborns with hearing loss at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah hospital. Hearing loss was assessed by Otoacoustic Emission (OAE). All data were analyzed with SPSS version 25. Results: This study got a total of 55 cases of newborns with hearing loss and 55 control groups without hearing loss. Based on multivariate analysis, the factor that significantly influenced hearing loss in newborns was premature birth (adjusted OR=7.120; 95% CI: 1.902-26.654; p=0.004). There was no significant relationship between length of stay, APGAR score, birth weight, family history, hyperbilirubinemia, mechanical ventilation, meningitis, congenital abnormalities, and ototoxic drugs with hearing loss in newborns. Conclusion: Prematurity is a risk factor for hearing loss in newborns. Premature babies should be screened for hearing to detect hearing loss early. Keywords: hearing loss, neonates, premature

Universal neonatal hearing screening before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To verify the frequency of risk factors for hearing loss in newborns and their possible associations with universal neonatal hearing screening results before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Historical cohort study with data analysis of newborns attended in a reference hearing health service of the Unified Health System (SUS) between January 2017 and December 2021. Those born in 2020 and 2021 were 91% less likely to fail the screening than those born in 2017, 2018, and 2019; therefore, they had a lower percentage of referrals for a retest. There was a decrease in congenital syphilis (1.00%), decrease in HIV (0.95%), and an increase in toxoplasmosis (0.58%) and increase in rubella cases in 2021 in relation to 2017. Syphilis had lower frequency rates during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). Newborns born in the pandemic year compared to those born pre-pandemic showed a reduction in the presence of two risk indicators for hearing loss and, consequently, a lower chance of failing the UNHS and a lower percentage of referral for retest.

Automated ABR screening for hearing loss and its clinical determinants among newborns with hyperbilirubinemia in National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria.

Severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a known risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss which is usually undiagnosed in our environment until school age due to a lack of routine screening programs. This cross-sectional study conducted between August 2020 and February 2021 employed a universal sampling of consecutive eligible participants after their mothers' consent. Hearing screening was conducted using an automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) device (Otoport OAE + ABR®). The proportion of AABR screening failure was assessed while associated clinical risk factors were determined using logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at 5% for all comparative analyses. One hundred and sixty newborns below 28 days of age, delivered at 34 weeks gestation and above, who had jaundice were recruited. The prevalence of screening AABR failure in at least one ear was 26.2%. Significant risk factors for AABR screening failure in addition to extreme and hazardous hyperbilirubinemia were acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE) (Odds Ratio (OR) =4.44, 95% CI = 3.19-6.17), birth weight below 2500 g (OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.48-6.77), dull tympanic membrane (TM) (OR = 5.94, 95% CI = 2.36-14.92) and exchange blood transfusion (OR = 4.84, 95% CI = 1.87-12.58). The prevalence of AABR screening failure was high, and a dull TM was its strongest predictor among late preterm and term neonates with hyperbilirubinemia. Otoscopy should be included in the care of newborn with hyperbilirubinemia and screening programs established to mitigate hearing loss among high-risk neonates in Abuja.