Otoacoustic emission testing in Ghanaian children with sickle-cell disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate hearing loss in children as a complication of sickle-cell disease.


METHODS
In Kumasi, Ghana, 35 children with SCD aged 6 months to 10 years underwent transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions testing (TEOAE) to investigate the function of the inner ear. Healthy Ghanaian children recruited in school and kindergarten served as controls.


RESULTS
One of 35 children with SCD and 13 of 115 control children failed the otoacoustic emissions testing. This difference between the control group and the children with SCD was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Early hearing impairment does not regularly occur in sickle-cell disease, and in children, it is not a likely cause of delayed or impaired language development.
Department of Neurology, NICU, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Josua
J
Kegele
Department of Neurology, NICU, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Helene
H
Hurth
Department of Neurology, NICU, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Peter
P
Lackner
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Anthony
A
Enimil
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Justice
J
Sylverkin
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Daniel
D
Ansong
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Clara
C
Nkyi
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Benedicta
B
Bonsu
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital & Kwama Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Tsiri
T
Agbenyega
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Volker H
VH
Schartinger
Department of Neurology, NICU, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Erich
E
Schmutzhard
Department of Hearing, Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Patrick
P
Zorowka
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Peter
P
Kremsner
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Joachim
J
Schmutzhard
Otoacoustic emissions; anemia falciforme; children; drépanocytose; emisiones otoacústicas; enfants; niños; otoémissions acoustique; sickle-cell disease