Neonatal hearing screening: a combined click evoked and tone burst otoacoustic emission approach.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated an alternative transient evoked otoacoustic emissions method for screening hearing in newborn babies that may reduce the referral rate of initial screening.


METHODS
A total of 1,033 neonates (2,066 ears) from two hospitals were recruited. Subjects had their hearing screened in both ears using a combined approach-both click evoked OAEs (CEOAEs) and 1kHz tone burst evoked OAEs (TBOAEs).


RESULTS
1kHz TBOAEs were more robust than CEOAEs in terms of emission response level and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at both 1 and 1.5kHz frequency bands. The prevalence rate for CEOAE and TBOAE responses in these two frequency bands was significantly different. The combined protocol significantly reduced the referral rate-by almost 2 percentage points for first time screening.


CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of a combined 1kHz TBOAE/CEOAE screening protocol is a feasible and effective way to reduce referral rates, and hence false positive rates, in neonatal hearing screening programs.
Zhang
Vicky W
VW
Centre for Communication Disorders, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. weizhang@hkusua.hku.hk
McPherson
Bradley
B
Shi
Bao-Xuan
BX
Tang
Joyce L F
JL
Wong
Buddy Y K
BY
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000191:economics; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence