Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Pages: 4455-4465

Journal: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

Volume number: 280

Issue number: 10

ISSN: 0937-4477

eISSN: 1434-4726

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07978-y

Publisher: Springer

Abstract: 
AimMore studies exploring referral rates and false-positive rates are needed to make hearing screening programs in newborns better and cost-effective. Our aim was to study the referral and false-positivity rates among high-risk newborns in our hearing screening program and to analyze the factors potentially associated with false-positive hearing screening test results.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was done among the newborns hospitalized at a university hospital from January 2009 to December 2014 that underwent hearing screening with a two-staged AABR screening protocol. Referral rates and false-positivity rates were calculated and possible risk factors for false-positivity were analyzed.Results4512 newborns were screened for hearing loss in the neonatology department. The referral rate for the two-staged AABR-only screening was 3.8% with false-positivity being 2.9%. Our study showed that the higher the birthweight or gestational age of the newborn, the lower the odds of the hearing screening results being false-positive, and the higher the chronological age of the infant at the time of screening, the higher the odds of the results being false-positive. Our study did not show a clear association between the mode of delivery or gender and false-positivity.ConclusionAmong high-risk infants, prematurity and low-birthweight increased the rate of false-positivity in the hearing screening, and the chronological age at the time of the test seems to be significantly associated with false-positivity.

Harvard Citation style: Thangavelu, K., Martakis, K., Feldmann, S., Roth, B. and Lang-Roth, R. (2023) Referral rate and false-positive rates in a hearing screening program among high-risk newborns, European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 280(10), pp. 4455-4465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07978-y

APA Citation style: Thangavelu, K., Martakis, K., Feldmann, S., Roth, B., & Lang-Roth, R. (2023). Referral rate and false-positive rates in a hearing screening program among high-risk newborns. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology. 280(10), 4455-4465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07978-y