Antecedents of newborn hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE
To determine what factors are associated with newborn hearing loss.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed hospital records of all neonates found on screening to have hearing loss as well as a cohort with normal audiometric findings from January 1998 through December 2000. The two groups were compared for various maternal, obstetric, and perinatal variables.


RESULTS
Sixty-four neonates had hearing loss. The controls consisted of 270 neonates with normal findings. There were no differences between groups when compared for various maternal and perinatal variables. The mean gestational age (35.9 +/- 5.9 weeks versus 37.8 +/- 3.1 weeks, P =.01) and birth weight (2698 +/- 1173 g versus 3195 +/- 816 g, P =.002) were significantly lower in the hearing-loss group. Only 32 of the 64 neonates (50%) had one or more of the ten clinical neonatal high-risk factors for newborn hearing loss. On multivariable analysis, very low birth weight of 1500 g or less (odds ratio [OR] 7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3, 18; P =.001), 5-minute Apgar scores less than 7 (OR 5; 95% CI 2, 18; P =.009), positive family history of congenital deafness (OR 7; 95% CI 2, 197; P =.02), and structural and chromosomal anomalies (OR 64; 95% CI 14, 292; P =.001) were independently associated with the development of newborn hearing loss.


CONCLUSIONS
Congenital structural and chromosomal anomalies appear to be the most significantly associated risk factors for the development of newborn hearing loss. Very low birth weight, low Apgar scores, and family history are also independently associated with newborn hearing loss. However, most infants with hearing loss have no clinical risk factors.
Chu
Karen
K
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Health Science Center, T9-030, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
Elimian
Andrew
A
Barbera
Jamie
J
Ogburn
Paul
P
Spitzer
Alan
A
Quirk
J Gerald
JG
D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000151:congenital / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors