title: Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) in referrals from neonatal hearing screening at a well-baby clinic.
abstract: Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a particular kind of hearing disorder characterised by normal outer hair cell function and abnormal or absent auditory brain stem responses. Little data are available regarding the prevalence of this condition in healthy newborns. We performed a retrospective medical records review of 791 referrals from universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) at a well-baby clinic to investigate the prevalence of ANSD. Hearing screening was performed by automated auditory brain stem response (ABR) testing. A diagnosis of ANSD was established when ABR tracings were absent in the presence of otoacoustic emissions and/or a cochlear microphonic. Amongst 201 infants with confirmed congenital hearing loss, 13 infants were diagnosed with ANSD. The condition was unilateral in six and bilateral in seven infants. A risk factor for hearing loss could be identified in three infants. Abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging were found in six infants; five of them had cochlear nerve deficiency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of ANSD was 6.5 % amongst well babies with confirmed congenital hearing loss identified through UNHS. The estimated incidence of ANSD in our population of newborns at the well-baby clinic was 0.09/1000 live births. Magnetic resonance revealed an underlying anatomical abnormality in about half of the patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  • Auditory neuropathy dyssynchrony spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a particular form of hearing loss, mostly encountered in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates. • Little data are available on the prevalence and risk factors for ANSD in healthy newborns. What is new: • The estimated prevalence of ANSD in healthy newborns is 0.09/1000 live births. • In about half of the healthy newborns with ANSD, a structural abnormality was detected on magnetic resonance imaging of the posterior fossa/brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. an.boudewyns@uza.be.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boudewyns
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Declau
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jenneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van den Ende
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anouk
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofkens
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dirckx
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
mesh_terms: D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006313:Hearing Loss, Central / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Auditory brain stem response; Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder; Hearing loss; Neonatal hearing screening