Risk factors for hearing loss in infants under universal hearing screening program in Northern Thailand

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of study subjects (n=3,120)

Characteristics	Auditory brainstem response at 3 months				P-value
	Hearing loss (n=135)		Normal (n=2,985)
	N	%	N	%
Maternal age (years)					<0.001
<20	5	3.7	59	1.9
20–35	109	80.7	2,879	96.5
>35	21	15.6	47	1.6
Maternal diseases					<0.001
No	124	91.8	2,947	98.7
Yes	11	8.2	38	1.3
Intrauterine infection					<0.001
No	130	96.3	2,981	99.9
Yes	5	3.7	4	0.1
Family history of congenital sensorineural hearing loss					<0.001
No	122	90.4	2,985	100.0
Yes	13	9.6	0	0.0
Birth weight (g)					<0.001
<1,500	11	8.2	58	2.0
1,500–2,500	25	18.5	323	10.8
>2,500	99	73.3	2,604	87.2
APGAR score at 5 minutes					<0.001
Normal (≥6)	64	47.4	2,909	97.5
Abnormal (<6)	71	52.6	76	2.5
Craniofacial anomalies					<0.001
No	105	77.8	2,964	99.3
Yes	30	22.2	21	0.7
Use of breathing machine					<0.001
>5 days
No	65	48.1	2,927	98.1
Yes	70	51.9	58	1.9
Meningitis					<0.001
No	120	88.9	2,983	99.9
Yes	15	11.1	2	0.1
Sepsis					<0.001
No	75	55.6	2,957	99.1
Yes	60	44.4	28	0.9
Ototoxic exposure					<0.001
No	58	43.0	2,899	97.1
Yes	77	57.0	86	2.9
Severe hyperbilirubinemia (term ≥18 mg/dL, preterm ≥15 mg/dL)					<0.001
No	92	68.1	2,964	99.3
Yes	43	31.9	21	0.7

Abbreviations: APGAR, Activity Pulse Grimace Appearance and Respiration.

Table 2 Univariable risk regression of risk factors of the hearing loss of infants (aged 3 months)

Characteristics	Risk ratio	95% CI	P-value
Intrauterine infection	13.3	5.4–32.5	<0.001
Family history of congenital sensorineural hearing loss	25.5	14.4–45.1	<0.001
Birth weight <1,500 g	4.3	2.3–8.1	<0.001
Birth weight 1,500–2,500 g	2.0	1.3–3.0	0.003
APGAR score <6 at 5 minutes	22.4	16.0–31.4	<0.001
Craniofacial anomalies	17.2	11.4–25.8	<0.001
Use of breathing machine >5 days	25.2	18.0–35.3	<0.001
Meningitis	22.8	13.3–39.0	<0.001
Sepsis	27.6	19.6–38.7	<0.001
Ototoxic exposure	24.1	17.1–33.9	<0.001
Severe hyperbilirubinemia (term ≥18 mg/dL, preterm ≥15 mg/dL)	22.3	15.5–32.1	<0.001

Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval; APGAR, Activity Pulse Grimace Appearance and Respiration.

Table 3 Multivariable risk regression of risk factors of the hearing loss of infants (aged 3 months)

Risk factors	Risk ratio	95% CI	P-value
Intrauterine infection	2.3	0.8–6.0	0.103
Family history of congenital sensorineural hearing loss	1.9	0.9–3.7	0.064
Birth weight <1,500 g	1.4	0.7–2.8	0.288
Birth weight 1,500–2,500 g	1.6	1.1–2.6	0.029*
APGAR score <6 at 5 minutes	2.2	1.1–4.4	0.029*
Craniofacial anomalies	2.5	1.6–4.2	<0.001*
Use of breathing machine >5 days	1.4	0.7–3.1	0.319
Meningitis	0.9	0.5–1.8	0.838
Sepsis	1.8	1.0–3.2	0.045*
Ototoxic exposure	4.1	1.9–8.6	<0.001*
Severe hyperbilirubinemia (term ≥18 mg/dL, preterm ≥15 mg/dL)	1.7	0.9–3.2	0.068

Note:

* P<0.05.

Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval; APGAR, Activity Pulse Grimace Appearance and Respiration.