Hearing screening failure rate in newborn infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the local incidence of hearing screening failure rate in newborns with all three stages of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was undertaken in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Medical records and hearing secreening test results were collected for two years.

Results: One hundred and ninety seven infants diagnosed with HIE, 20 of them died, 177 screened. Thirty five of 177 (19%) infants failed in screening test for hearing. Screening failure rate was 10/51 (19%), 20/105 (19%) and 5/21 (23%) in stage 1, 2 and 3, respectively and did not differ between HIE stages (p = 0.88). Furthermore failure rates were similar between infants who received therapeutic hypothermia or not (20% vs 19%, p = 0.84).

Conclusion: Hearing screening failure rate in HIE is quite high even in Stage 1 infants. Management and treatment of these infants should be made carefully concerning additional risks for hearing loss and long term follow-up even in Stage 1 HIE infants should be planned strictly.