UNIVERSAL NEONATAL HEARING SCREENING PROGRAMM: 5 YEARS RESULTS

Díaz FJ ,  García-Alvarez G, García-Dueñas J, Seguí P , Jiménez M, Masegosa P.

ENT Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de  Albacete, Spain.

Introduction: Review of the universal hearing screening programme in our community from 2003.

Methods: Retrospective study of the general newborn population in the Health Area of Albacete from July 2003 to June 2008. This is a four stage protocol programme and patients are studied a week after hospital discharge. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) are used in First and Second stages and Brainstem Evoked response Auditory (BERA) in the Third stage or in high risk patients. At the fourth stage diagnosis is achieved and treatment is started between 6 and 12 months old.

Results: From July 2003 to June 2008 a total of 16321 babies were born in our Health Area.

• Stage 1. 16003 babies (98,05%) of total newborn were tested with OAE, and 186 (1,13%) referred to the third stage had high risk of deafness.

• Stage 2. 1092 babies of first stage (6,82% of newborn) failed OAE and were referred. 14 patients (2%) did not attend.

• Stage 3. 274 babies were tested with BERA (2,87% of first stage) and some degree of hearing loss was found in 69 cases.

• Stage 4: Mild hearing loss (less than 50 dB): 38 cases (16 with high risk). Moderate hearing loss (50-60 dB): 21 cases (12 with high risk). Severe hearing loss (more than 60 dB): 10 cases (8 with high risk).

Discussion: 98,5% of neonates were screened. Referral rate for diagnosis: 2,87%. The programme detected 69 cases with some degree of hearing loss (0,42 % of newborn) in five years. Only 2,87 % of babies needed to perform BERA. There was high risk in 48 cases and no risk in 33 cases.

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