Long-term follow-up of otitis media with effusion in neonatal hearing screening

Nina Standaert; Elke Loos; Nicolas Verhaert; Liesbeth Royackers; Sam Denys; Christian Desloovere

doi:10.1016/j.ijporl.2024.112017

Long-term follow-up of otitis media with effusion in neonatal hearing screening

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2024 Jul:182:112017. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2024.112017. Epub 2024 Jun 19.

Authors

Nina Standaert¹, Elke Loos², Nicolas Verhaert², Liesbeth Royackers³, Sam Denys², Christian Desloovere⁴

Affiliations

¹ University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Belgium. Electronic address: nina.standaert@uzleuven.be.
² University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Belgium; University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Experimental Otorhinolaryngology (ExpORL) , Belgium; University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Multidisciplinary University Centre for Speech and Language Therapy, and Audiology, Belgium.
³ University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Belgium; University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Multidisciplinary University Centre for Speech and Language Therapy, and Audiology, Belgium.
⁴ University Hospitals of Leuven, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Belgium; University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Experimental Otorhinolaryngology (ExpORL) , Belgium.

PMID: 38908259
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2024.112017

Abstract

Objectives: Increased neonatal referral rate of conductive hearing loss (CHL) related to otitis media with effusion (OME) following universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) may cause an unnecessary clinical, emotional, and financial burden. This study analyzes the long-term, audiological, and medical characteristics of CHL associated with OME in neonates in order to establish a standardized protocol following technology-driven improvements in detection and referral rates in UNHS.

Methods: A retrospective study of all neonates with OME-related CHL referred to the University Hospital of Leuven (Belgium) after failing UNHS with the MAICO devices between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2021 was performed. Follow-up consultations, auditory tests, referral side, birth month, hearing loss degree, underlying pathologies and risk factors, time to normalization, and need for ventilation tubes were assessed.

Results: The incidence of CHL related to OME was stable between 2013 and 2021. Of all referred infants with OME, 52.3 % demonstrated spontaneous recovery. The average time to hearing normalization was significantly longer in children with underlying congenital pathologies compared to those without. Moreover, 74.4 % of these children received ventilation tubes compared to 32.0 % of children without underlying pathologies. No correlation was found between the incidence of OME-related CHL with either a hearing loss degree, admission to neonatal intensive care, or history of a nasogastric feeding tube.

Conclusions: In children who failed UNHS due to OME, hearing recovers spontaneously without surgical intervention in 2/3 of the infants without underlying conditions within one year. In children with underlying congenital disorders, the time to hearing recovery is longer and the risk for surgical intervention is higher, underlining the need for implementing a UNHS standardized protocol.

Keywords: Congenital conductive hearing loss; Neonatal hearing screening; Otitis media with effusion.

MeSH terms

Belgium
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Hearing Loss, Conductive* / diagnosis
Hearing Tests*
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Middle Ear Ventilation
Neonatal Screening*
Otitis Media with Effusion* / complications
Otitis Media with Effusion* / diagnosis
Referral and Consultation
Retrospective Studies
Time Factors