title: Relation between amniotic fluid infection or cytokine levels and hearing screen failure in infants at 32 wk gestation or less.
abstract: To determine whether the presence of intra-amniotic infection and elevated proinflammatory cytokine levels in amniotic fluid (AF) are associated with failure in the newborn hearing screen (NHS) test in very preterm neonates.
  
  
  
  This is a retrospective cohort study of 112 premature singleton neonates born to women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes at ≤32 wk. AF obtained through amniocentesis was cultured, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 levels were determined.
  
  
  
  Fourteen (12.5%) neonates failed the NHS test. The prevalence of a positive AF culture was 40% (45/112). Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that intra-amniotic infection was significantly associated with failure in the NHS test after adjusting for baseline covariates such as maternal white blood cell count (WBC) and periventricular leukomalacia. However, the IL-6 and IL-8 levels in AF were not significantly associated with hearing screen failure. Moreover, neither gestational age at birth nor birth weight was associated with NHS failure.
  
  
  
  The presence of intra-amniotic infection, but not elevated levels of AF IL-6 and IL-8, may contribute to the risk for failure in the NHS test in very preterm neonates. This finding suggests that intra-amniotic infection in utero might contribute to the development of congenital sensorineural hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Yoon
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihye
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyo Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D002821:Chorioamnionitis; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006309:Hearing; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007249:Inflammation; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D007969:Leukomalacia, Periventricular / Q000097:blood; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: C508606:CXCL8 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8