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Purpose: to establish which risk indicator for hearing loss shows the highest prevalence of 'failure' in newborn hearing screening. Methods: using a retrospective analysis of medical records involving 702 infants undergoing neonatal hearing screening in the Audiology Clinic of the Federal University of Bahia in the period 2007-2011, the chi-square test for the hypothesis of no association was made between the risk indicators and 'failure' of the newborn hearing screening. Results: in relation to the infants studied, 352 (50.29%) were male and 348 patients (49.71%) were females, two had no references as to gender. Most babies were between one to three months of age and 45.40% of babies were born prematurely. It was found that infants showed the following risk indicators: 28.83% had hyperbilirubinemia; 22.54% had a history of congenital infection; 15.06% were born weighing less than 1,500 grams; 8.21% had Apgar scores of 0-4 in the 1st minute; 5.07% had Apgar scores 0-6 in the 5th minute; 9.09% received mechanical ventilation; 4.09% had syndromes associated with hearing loss and only 1 (0.84%) infant had bacterial meningitis. Among these infants, 92.45% had no family history of hearing impairment and 97.09% had no craniofacial malformation. Conclusion: there were associations between five risk indicators and 'failure' in neonatal hearing screening. Risk indicators showed the following descending order of prevalence: Apgar score 0-4 in the 1st minute; craniofacial malformations; syndrome associated with hearing loss; Apgar score 0-6 in the 5th minutes; mechanical ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to evaluate the newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs of maternity hospitals located in the city of João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Methods: a total of five maternity/hospital institutions participated in this study (one federal, one municipal, two state and one private maternity hospital), being selected those who presented a Newborn Hearing Screening program. The questionnaire "Newborn Hearing Screening Survey" containing 29 questions was applied to five audiologists and five health managers. Results: all maternity hospitals carry out their NHS programs in the rooming, neonatal ICU and intermediate-risk nursery. Hearing screening is routinely requested by the medical staff and authorized in the four hospitals. However, in one of the maternity hospitals, hearing screening is not routinely requested. All screenings are performed by the audiologist. The unique method for performing screening is the use of evoked otoacoustic emissions. The number of referrals to re-tests varied between 4% and 15%. All maternity hospitals provide the results of the hearing screening concerning the "PASS" by means of a written report. The cases that require monitoring or audiologic diagnostics are followed to public and private reference services. The audiologist ensures and monitors the diagnosis in four of the maternity hospitals surveyed. Only one hospital reports that it is an assignment of the social service staff. Conclusion: the methodology of the TAN program has proved suitable for babies from the group without risk for hearing loss, but not for the babies in the risk group. The greatest problem of the NHSP in João Pessoa occurs in the stage of recording the results and control of referrals. There isn't a database that enables you to control the coverage of TAN, the retests, referrals and false positives. There is a dissociation between program steps, scarce resources and lack of effective participation of managers, despite the publication of the law on the mandatory completion of EOE in maternity and recommendations of the Ministry of Health for its realization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to characterize the demand, territory and hearing tests performed on a Newborn Hearing Screening Program. Methods: retrospective study of a sample of 2334 records of newborns screened, involving the analysis of data on Newborn Hearing Screening, Newborns of information and demographic variables. Results: 88% were screened newborns, and of these 16% had Risk Indicator for Hearing Impairment and 84% did not. It was observed that the indicator was the most prevalent family history, and that the chances of passing the test are lower in the presence of indicator and when the newborn's weight less than 1,500 g. The index-pass test failure was 78% and 22% passes failure. On the test result, the greater number of failures unilateral and retest failure 4% being a membership of more than 70%. Conclusion: study like this allows the active pursuit of newborn risk group for hearing impairment in their respective territories, with greater possibility of tracking and thus reach the primary goal of hearing screening is that the diagnosis of deafness until the third month life, in addition to designing a Neonatal hearing Screening Program effective in their steps: screening, diagnostic audiology, indication, selection and fitting of hearing aids and re (ha) bilitation hearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, hearing loss diagnosis does not occur in early years. Among various factors that could explain this fact is that the parents do not know well about hearing health for their children, and then do not attend for the follow-up. This literature review had as main goal to describe how the follow up has been done in Brazil, especially regarding to the audiologic exams, regarding to the follow up by the family, and regarding to educations activities for the health professionals. In order to achieve that, an integrative review of the literature was done, leaded by the question: How the audiologic follow up has been done for the newborn hearing screening programs? It was used the the following databases: Lilacs, Medline, IBECS and CidSaúde using combinations of the terms "follow-up studies", "hearing" and "newborn screening". Initially, 1130 articles were screened by titles and abstracts. Then, 21 full articles were pre-selected by title and summary. Twelve articles answered the question of this review. The results indicated that tests for hearing screening and audiologic were used more Evoked otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem response, and behavioral assessment, tympanometry and acoustic reflexes. Three studies reported the presence of educational programs and only one specified professionals realized that, being the nurse what else made these activities. The percentage of families who joined the monitoring varied considerably. It was interesting to see that those recommendations from local and international entities to perform the audiologic, seeking a standard of quality and effectiveness in the programs and the quality of the audiological evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to verify the incidence of changes in otoacoustic emission distortion product in premature infants and to analyze the magnitude of responses in relation to the gestational age in this population. Methods: observational cross-sectional study, which included results analysis of distortion product otoacoustic emissions of preterm newborns, screened in a public hospital in Belo Horizonte, from August 2010 to February, 2011. The infants were divided into three groups according to the gestational ages, the first group consisting of neonates aging 28-30 weeks, the second was of 31-33 weeks and third group of 34-36 weeks. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of UFMG number 0210.0.203.000-10. Results: among the 44 children studied (93.62%) distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were present and only three children (6.38%) had absent DPOAEs. Regarding the amplitude analysis of the otoacoustic emissions and their comparisons between groups, no statistically significant difference was found between gestational groups, however we observed lower p values between gestational groups at high frequencies - 6kHz and 5KHz. Conclusion: prematurity in itself is not a factor that influences the outcome of DPOAE in premature neonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to verify in newborn (NBs) without risk for hearing loss, the "pass/fail" index in the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening (UNHS), relating them with the sex, childbirth type and time of life. Method: characterized as a quantitative, retrospective, sectional and of group study, inserted in the secondary attention to health of a University Hospital, where 1526 NBs handbooks were analyzed, with analyzer of Transients Otoacoustics Emissions (TOAE) model Otoport Lite. It was adopted as inclusion criteria NBs in term of both sexes. It was excluded from the research 355 NBs that presented one of the indicators risk associated to hearing loss, or still, if some of the data collected by the research were incomplete. The sample studied was 1.171 records. Results: 88,3% of NBs passed in the first testing. It was not found out significant findings regarding to "pass/fail" index and sex and childbirth type. The NBs that accomplished the testing up to 28 hours after birth fail more frequently, while the ones with more than 32 hours of life pass more frequently. Conclusion: the study demonstrated that there was a more appropriate moment for accomplishment of the first testing, where NBs up to 28 hours of life fail more frequently, while the ones with more than 32 hours pass more frequently in the first testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: this study seeks to analyse the results of neonatal auditory screening by means of transient otoacoustic emissions in newborn babies in relation to their different lifespans. Method: the medical charts of 1689 babies, previously analysed in 2008, were evaluated in two maternity wards of SC. The babies were divided into two groups: in group 1 screening had been completed in the first 24 hours after birth, and in group 2, it had been completed between 24 and 48 hours after the babies' birth. Results: in group 1, of the 894 babies submitted to NAC, the index of "failure" was 4.5%, equivalent to 39 babies. In group 2, of the 795 babies and 1.5% (12) "failed" the test. The findings demonstrated that NAC carried out by means of TOAE in the babies during the first 24 hours of birth presented a higher "failure" index than NAC completed after 48 hours of birth. Conclusion: NAC should be completed at the maternity wards before hospital discharge, but only after the first 24 hours of life due to the great incidence of artifacts that may be encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: investigate the level of conscience of the parents in relation to the importance of the neonatal auditory selection, as well as verifying the reasons of not the attendance to the return set appointments after the first evaluation. Method: the casuistry was constituted by 31 responsible mothers in the neonatal unit of the University Hospital of Maringá, which had not appeared to the high return set appointments after the hospital one. Results: the reasons presented for the responsible mothers and/or for the attendance to the set appointments return had not involved attitudes that had been able to signal little importance attributed to the questions related to the hearing and the Newborn Hearing Screening, therefore suggest reasons irrelevant as the forgetfulness of the return, mother thought that the baby would not leave to be submitted to the examination and the loss of schedule for new evaluation. Such fact probably reflects the lack of awareness on the part of the mothers of the newborns how much to the importance of the Newborn Hearing Screening. Conclusion: exists to increase the general awareness in relation to the Newborn hearing screening, on the part of the familiar ones and the professionals who act directly with the newborns, which will contribute for the agility of the diagnostics process, guaranteeing better perspective to the future of carrying children of auditory deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to describe the results of three TEOE protocols obtained from automatic equipment used in a Newborn Hearing Screening Program. Method: during two months, TEOEs of 287 neonates in São Paulo were studied. To register them, we used a three-protocol, set up with different pass/fail criteria. The following protocols were registered: Protocol A: to pass in four frequency bands, not necessarily consecutive-; Protocol B: to pass in three frequency bands, not necessarily consecutive - and Protocol C: to pass in two frequency bands, not necessarily consecutive, as well. The parameters that we used to consider these answers were: reproducibility above 50%, as well as signal/noise ratio > 3dB at 1.0 and 1.5 kHz and > 6dB at 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 kHz. Results: TEOEs of 574 ears were analyzed and the 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 frequencies showed the highest pass percentages (94.1, 95.8 and 92.7% for protocols A, B and C respectively). Protocol C showed the highest pass percentage, achieving 96,9%. Nevertheless, the results obtained in Protocol B, which had the presence of three bands, showed a similar percentage to Protocol C (96,2%). Therefore, there was a not statistically significant difference between Protocols B and C. 1.0 kHz frequency achieved a percentage of only 9.9 in the tested ears. Conclusions: one has to research Protocols A, B and C with gold standard in order to verify which one suits best in terms of sensibility and specificity, even though the three protocols studied showed similar results in pass criteria for two or three frequency bands [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to describe the proposal of monitoring children in the first year of life, who were not identified in the newborn hearing screening program but had risk factors for hearing loss. Method: the study included 258 risk children who had obtained the result "pass" in the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program of Hospital Santa Isabel - Bauru/SP, from June to November 2008. It was applied by the telephone, a validated questionnaire in a previous study, containing questions about hearing and language. For each question there were two possible answers: "yes" or "no" and we considered "failure" to obtain at least one "no" answer. With such result, the child was scheduled to perform an immediate hearing evaluation. Results: the questionnaire was applied with 169 families; with the others, there was no contact. From the total, 164 (97,04%) obtained "passed" and five (2,96%) "failed". Between these five children, only three showed up for hearing evaluation and one had no disorders; two presented conductive hearing loss. It was observed distinct prevalence among the risk factors and there was no relation (p>0,05) of the risk factors with the evasion in the monitoring process. Conclusion: the monitoring through a questionnaire applied by telephone proved to be feasible, however, it is necessary to develop strategies to support their execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to study the specificity and sensitivity of NHS with otoacoustic emissions transient stimulus (TEOAE) associated with cochlear-palpebral reflex (CPR), and comparing the results of Auditory Evoked Potential (BAEP). Method: three hundred and sixty-nine neonates under risk of hearing loss were evaluated. Evaluation procedures consisted of transient otocoustic emissions(TOAEs), cochlear-palpebral reflex (CPR), and ABR diagnostic carried out in the same week. Results: the incidence in the general population was 4 neonates (1.1%) with cochlear hearing loss, 22 (5.9%) with conductive hearing loss, 2 (0.5%) with auditory neuropathy, 14 (3.8%) with central abnormalities and 15 (4.1%) with delayed maturation of the auditory pathway. The TAN showed 100% sensitivity and 94.6% specificity in detecting the spectrum of cochlear and auditory neuropathy, 77.3% sensitivity and 94.6% specificity in detecting conductive and 42.9% and 94.6% specificity while detecting central abnormalities. All findings showed statistically significant differences when compared to normal auditory neonates. Conclusion: this protocol was effective to detect in neonates with cochlear hearing loss and auditory neuropathy with high sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to describe the population of high risk newborns referred for a hearing screening program at a selective hearing health service, as well, to characterize and compare the group of infants who attended the screening (group I) and the other of infants who did not attend the screening (group II). Method: we performed a prospective study in a child hearing center. The sample consisted of 55 infants under high risk at a maternity hospital in Sao Paulo. The methodology included the examination of medical records and interviews with the mothers. We studied the age at the hospital, hearing screening, diagnosis, time between hospital discharge and screening, the time between hospital discharge and diagnosis and, finally, the time between screening and diagnosis. We compared the socioeconomic and cultural groups and the risk factors. Results: 55 infants were referred to the attendance and hearing screening was 76% (42). The mean age of hospital discharge was 38 days, the hearing screening was 42 days and the diagnosis was 95.1 days. The mean time between the discharge and screening was 13 days, between the discharge and the diagnosis was 40.8 days. The group attending the screening had lower weight, longer ICU stay, and greater number of risk factors, higher family income per person and more prenatal care than those who did not attend it. Conclusions: the children who showed greater adherence to the implementation of selective newborn hearing screening were those whose mothers attended a greater number of pre-natal cares, those that had increased incidence of risk factors, longer hospitalization and when the information in the maternity ward were more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to study the sensitivity and specificity of automatic ABR in comparison to diagnostic ABR of newborns under risk in a neonatal hearing screening program. Method: one hundred and eighty six neonates were evaluated, 83 born at term and 103 were pre terms, 88 male and 98 female gender. Evaluation procedures consisted of transient otoacoustic emissions(TOAEs), A-ABR and diagnostic ABR carried out in the same week. Results: from the 186 evaluated newborns, 156 (83.9%) showed normal hearing. Conductive hearing loss was verified in nine neonates (4.8%), seven bilateral and two unilateral. Cochlear hearing loss was observed in five neonates (2.7%), one unilateral and four bilateral. Central evidences were observed in eleven neonates (5.9%) and one neonate was diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (0,5%). In four cases, we found a maturational delay in the first evaluation with normal result within one month. In the comparison of A-ABR with diagnostic ABR, high sensitivity rates were observed (99% and higher) in the identification of cochlear, conductive, central and auditory neuropathy. Specificity rate of A-ABR was 100% for auditory neuropathy, 75% for right ear and 60% for left ear cochlear hearing losses and 54.5% for right ear and 63.6% for the left ear central abnormalities. For conductive hearing losses, specificity was low (lower than 43%). Conclusion: A-ABR was efficient in the identification of auditory neuropathies with high sensitivity and specificity rates. However, false negative responses were observed in the group diagnosed with cochlear and conductive hearing losses, central abnormalities and maturational delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to check the agreement among the obtained results in hearing screening through the observation of behavioral responses and the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions. Method: a double-blind study was carried out with 139 infants attended in Neonatal Hearing Screening service of Santa Maria University Hospital. Different examiners evaluated the presence of eye blink reflex and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions. Results: among the 139 evaluated infants, 123 showed eye blink reflex and otoacoustic emissions; 10 showed only otoacoustic emissions; and 3 failed in both tests. Sixteen infants should be re-evaluated. Nine did not come back to repeat the tests. Seven children were re-evaluated, two passed in both tests; five maintained the failed status and they were referred to evaluation on Auditory Response Audiometry. Two children showed otoacoustic emissions, but did not have eye blink reflex. In the evaluation of Auditory Response Audiometry, one manifested normal hearing and the other showed acute hearing loss. One child who did not evidence otoacoustic emissions, but manifested eye blink reflex, had compatible Auditory Response Audiometry with moderate hearing loss in both ears. The infant who failed in both test showed severe bilateral hearing loss in the evaluation of Auditory Response Audiometry. Conclusion: even though the otoacoustic emissions are present, the absence of eye blink reflex should be considered a reason to evaluate the Auditory Response Audiometry, and this can be sign of auditory neuropathy. Considering that the analysis of otoacoustic emissions and the evaluation of eye blink reflex are complement procedures. The apparent disagreement among some results can show different types of hearing disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to assess the prevalence of hearing loss in a newborn hearing screening program and investigate mutations in the GJB2 gene in those with suspected hearing loss. Method: we performed longitudinal study of 908 term infants, post-term and preterm infants who underwent hearing screening by the test Emission Transient Evoked Otoacoustic (EOA-T) and cochlear palpebral reflex. For newborns, those who failed the hearing screening in one or both ears, were referred to a second evaluation. In the retest, while the EOA-T test result in not passing on one or both ears, the child was referred for evaluation and otorhinolaringology management. After completing the Auditory Evoked Potential test, the team of evaluators decided whether it should refer the child to investigate the mutation. When there was suspicion of hearing impairment we collected 3 mL of peripheral venous blood for the detection of mutation in the connexin 26 gene. Results: we observed the presence of conductive hearing loss in 2 neonates (0.22%) and sensorineural in 1 (0.11%). In children with sensorineural hearing loss we detected the presence of 35delG mutation. Conclusion: the audiological assessment in conjunction with molecular tests of the main GJB2 gene mutations in newborns with suspected hearing loss contributed to the rapid audiological diagnostic, seeking early intervention, educational and genetic counseling and prognosis of the child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to know the index of babies who failed in the EOAET diagnosis process in the Universal Neonatal Auditory Scan Program of an public hospital in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: the sample is composed of 1146 protocols of babies evaluated in the Universal Neonatal Auditory Scan Program in this hospital, in the period of July 2007 to April 2008. Results: Universal Neonatal Auditory Scan presented effectiveness of 69.4%, although the retest of the babies that failed in the EOAET diagnosis have shown that the success in the follow up process goes down significantly. From the total of the sample, 11 babies were suspected to have auditory loss and four had some alteration. Conclusion: data suggesting that the program needs to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to analyze the absolute amplitude and response level of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in preterm and full-term newborns. Methods: 50 full-term and 50 preterm newborns took part in the study. They underwent newborn hearing screening, through research of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, performed between 24 hours and 11 weeks of life. All newborns showed transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in the newborn hearing screening test. Results: no statistically significant difference of amplitude and response level was found between the full-term and preterm newborns. There was no significant correlation among factors such as prematurity, age of newborn at test and time of hearing stimulation with the results obtained. Conclusion: transient evoked otoacoustic emissions recorded in full-term and preterm newborns showed similar absolute amplitude and Response level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to check the practice of newborn hearing screening in Curitiba-PR. Methods: a survey was initially conducted to check the number of existing maternities and hospitals with maternities included in the National Register of Health's Establishments. We found that 59 hospitals were registered; three are maternities and 18 are hospitals that include a maternity. We asked each of the professionals in charge for the institution if some kind of newborn hearing screening was conducted and, for those who had the service, a questionnaire was given in order to collect information on the program. Results: we found that 23.8% of the institutions perform newborn hearing screening. In 20% of them, this service is universal for full term babies, while in 80% of them it is available for premature/high risk babies. All of the services use Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). Conclusion: we concluded that the Brazilian law number 14588 - 22/12/2004 is not being followed. Despite of the need and the importance for early detection of hearing loss, hearing screening is not accomplished in all maternities. In places where such screening takes place, it is not universal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]