Abstract:
Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAE) as
screening test for auditory function in neonates.
Study Design: A cross-sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at United Medical and Dental College, Creek General Hospital,
Karachi, from July 2106 to May 2017. A total number of 120 newborn babies were screened for hearing loss before discharge
from hospital but 20 were lost for follow up and 100 cases were included in this study.
Method: TEOAE was done in all neonates born during this period at 3rd day after birth. Those who were found to have
hearing loss, TEOAE was repeated at the end of 1st week and again in 6th week after birth. BERA was done in those cases
who showed hearing loss on TEOAE on all three occasions. All the 100 cases were followed up regularly for more than
one year for appearance of any sign or symptom related with hearing loss or speech development failure.
Result: Out of 100 cases included in this study, 96 were found to have no hearing loss on TEOAE and 1 on BERA test.
Remaining three cases were found to have hearing loss on both TEOAE and BERA test. True negative cases where no
hearing loss was found on TEOAE and subsequent follow up were 96. True positive cases were 3 where hearing loss was
found on TEOAE and BERA and also on subsequent follow-up. False positive case was 1, where hearing loss was detected
on TEOAE but BERA showed normal hearing and subsequent follow-up also showed normal hearing and false negative
result was not detected in any case. Sensitivity of TEOAE was found to be 100%, specificity is 98.9%, accuracy is 99%,
positive predictive value is 75% and negative predictive value is 100% in this study.
Conclusion: TEOAE was found to be a cost-effective and practicable method of recognizing congenital hearing loss. It
should be done in all newborns as routine screening for hearing loss.
