title: Risk factors associated with unilateral hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the presence of Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) risk factors and co-occurring birth defects (CBDs) in children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statewide registry of universal newborn hearing screen data for all children born in Virginia from 2002 through 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population comprised 371 children with confirmed UHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Universal newborn hearing screen status, presence or absence of JCIH risk factors, and CBDs
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 371 children with confirmed unilateral hearing loss, 362 (97.5%) were identified through a failed universal newborn hearing screen. Of these 362 children, 252 (69.6%) had no JCIH risk factors and 110 (30.3%) had 1 or more risk factor reported. Nine children (2.5%) with 1 or more risk factors passed the universal newborn hearing screen but had later-onset UHL. Craniofacial anomaly was the most commonly reported JCIH risk factor in 48 children (43.6%). A family history of permanent childhood hearing loss was present in 24 children (21.8%). Twenty children (18.2%) had stigmata associated with a syndrome including hearing loss. Of the 110 children with UHL and a JCIH risk factor, additional CBDs were identified in 83 (75.5%). An ear-specific anomaly was most prevalent in 37 infants (44.6%), followed by cardiovascular anomalies in 34 infants (41.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thirty percent of children with confirmed UHL had a JCIH risk factor, most commonly craniofacial anomalies, family history of hearing loss, and stigmata of syndromes associated with hearing loss. However, the absence of JCIH risk factors does not preclude the development of UHL. Further studies assessing the etiology of UHL and risk factor associations are warranted.
authors: Departments of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. joshua.yelverton@gmail.com
authors: Joshua C
authors: JC
authors: Yelverton
authors: Laura M
authors: LM
authors: Dominguez
authors: Derek A
authors: DA
authors: Chapman
authors: Shuhui
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Arti
authors: A
authors: Pandya
authors: Kelley M
authors: KM
authors: Dodson
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014768:Virginia / Q000453:epidemiology