PP1113 - Broadband Absorbance and Pressurized Otoacoustic Emissions in Neonatal Hearing Screening Process

Abstract:

Objective: To analyze Broadband Absorbance and Otoacoustic Emissions at ambient pressure and at peak pressure, in newborns without Risk Factors for Hearing Loss in neonates.

Method: Evaluation of 102 newborns from a maternity hospital, without Risk Factors for Hearing Loss. The procedures were: chart analysis, broadband tympanometry and transient otoacoustic emissions performed at ambient pressure and measurement with the pressurized external acoustic meatus.

Conclusion: Pressurization influenced only G2(FAILED- ambient press-TOAE/PASS-Pressurized-TOAE), both in otoacoustic emissions and absorbance; the use of external acoustic meatus pressurization, in the presence of middle ear alterations, can be useful to improve the capture of otoacoustic emissions.

Summary:

Objective: To analyze Broadband Absorbance and Otoacoustic Emissions at ambient pressure and at peak pressure, in newborns without Risk Factors for Hearing Loss in neonatal hearing screening process.

Method: Evaluation of 102 newborns from a maternity hospital, who remained in the unit's rooming-in and without Risk Factors for Hearing Loss. The procedures were: chart analysis, broadband tympanometry and transient otoacoustic emissions performed at ambient pressure and measurement with the pressurized external acoustic meatus - at the peak pressure of maximum compliance, obtained at the time of broadband tympanometry. Based on the results found, the sample was divided into three groups, considering the criterion of presence or absence of response in otoacoustic emissions at ambient pressure and with pressurization. The data were statistically analyzed from the inter- and intra-group analysis of the differences between the chosen variables. The significance level adopted for the statistical tests was 5%, that is, p< 0.05.

Results: In the comparison between the PASS and FAIL groups in the result of otoacoustic emissions in ambient pressure, an effect of the days of life variable was observed, with a lower average of days in the group of newborns with a FAIL result (1.22) than in the group with a PASS result (2.19). There was no effect of the variables ear, weight, gestational age and Apgar score. After capturing the otoacoustic emissions at peak pressure, the newborns were divided into 3 groups, according to their results in the two tests: G1: (PASS/PASS), G2 (FAILED/PASS) and G3 (FAILED/FAILED). In the comparison between the groups, pressurization influenced only G2: in terms of absorbance, the difference was statistically significant for the frequencies of 2000, 3000 and 5000Hz, with lower values in the Ambient Pressure condition; as for emissions, in all bands the difference was statistically significant, also with lower values in the ambient pressure condition.

Conclusion: In the comparison between the groups, pressurization influenced only G2, both in terms of emissions and absorbance; the use of external acoustic meatus pressurization, in the presence of middle ear alterations, can be useful to improve the capture of otoacoustic emissions.