title: Is there any association between consanguinity and hearing loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hearing loss (HL) and its complications appear to be increasingly common in developing countries. Previous studies have supported the association between hearing loss and consanguinity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of hearing loss and its association with consanguinity among Qatari population. In addition, correlation between hearing loss and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups has been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study conducted at the Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total sample of 2800 infants screened and 2277 subjects were eligible to be included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The neonatal screening for hearing loss was conducted from January 2003 to November 2003 among all the 2800 infants born during that period. Some of them were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The hearing loss was screened using otoacoustic emission (Garson Stadler Incorporation, GSI-70), auditory brain stem responses (ABR) and tympanogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 2277 infant screened, the prevalence of hearing loss was (119/2277) 5.2%. The prevalence of HL was more common in boys (2.7%) than in girls (2.5%). We did not find any statistical significance differences between genders with the respect of HL. Parental consanguinity was more common among HL cases compared with non-HL 60.5% versus 25.3% (p < 0.0001). Family history of hearing loss did not show any differences between the two groups. 4.2% versus 4.3%. Risk factors like caesarean section, prenatal smoking and prenatal high blood pressure did not show any significant differences between the two groups. However, admission to NICU is associated with increase prevalence of HL 8.4% versus 4.4% (p = 0.043). The present study revealed that strong correlation between hearing loss, consanguineous (r = 0.217, p < 0.01), father education level illiterate (r = 0.293, p < 0.01), mothers consanguineous (r = 0.206, p < 0.01), mothers educational level illiterate (r = 0.228, p < 0.01), mother blood group positive (r = 0.476, p < 0.01), family history of HL among first or second degree of relatives (r = 0.620, p < 0.01) and father hypertension (r = 0.570, p < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant correlation between hearing loss and Rh blood groups has been discovered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study was directed at determining the prevalence and risk factors of HL in the infant population of Qatar. The data revealed that parental consanguinity was more common among hearing loss cases. There is a strong correlation between hearing loss and baby's age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, State of Qatar. abener@hmc.org.qa
authors.forename: Abdulbari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bener
authors.forename: Amr A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eihakeem
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abdulhadi
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003241:Consanguinity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System
chemical_list: D012204:Rh-Hr Blood-Group System