The results of national newborn hearing screening (NNHS) data of 11,575 newborns from west part of Turkey

S. Ulusoy, H. Ugras, C. Cingi, H.B. Yilmaz, N.B. Muluk

ENT Clinics, Gaziosmanpasa Taksim Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. nbayarmuluk@yahoo.com

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• Otorhinolaryngology

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to review the National Newborn Hearing Screening (NNHS) programme data obtained from Corlu, located in west part of Turkey for the last 4 years.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total 11575 newborns that were either born in Çorlu State Hospital or referred from other Health Care Centers, between September 2009 and November 2012 were included into the study. Automated-Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (A-TEOAE) test and Automated-Auditory Brainstem Response (A-ABR) were used as screening tests. When the newborn had failed at the initial A-TEOAE test, then the test was repeated after 15 days. If the same result was obtained at the second test; the newborns were referred for ENT examination. A-TEOAE and A-ABR screening tests were performed as the third stage evaluation. The failed newborns were referred for clinical ABR test.

RESULTS: Out of 11575 newborns, 593 (5.12%) had failed the test and they were referred for clinical ABR. Out of these 593 neonates, 470 had passed the diagnostic ABR test at the referral center. Bilateral and unilateral sensori-neural hearing loss (SNHL) was detected at 15 and 7 babies respectively, 10 of 22 of these babies had risk factors such as family history of hearing loss, and parental consanguinity.

CONCLUSIONS: The final hearing impairment and risk factor rates of our study was similar with literature. Although referral rates and the number of default babies gradually decreased in the last 4 years; definitive diagnosis and hearing aid initiation times need to improvement.

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