This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Richardson, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Rudd, P. T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Richardson, M. P.
Right arrow Articles by Rudd, P. T.
Related Collections
Right arrow Dentistry & Otolaryngology

PEDIATRICS Vol. 102 No. 6 December 1998, pp. 1364-1368

Otoacoustic Emissions as a Screening Test for Hearing Impairment in Children Recovering From Acute Bacterial Meningitis

Received Mar 4, 1998; accepted Jun 29, 1998.

Martin P. Richardson*, Timothy J. WilliamsonDagger , Andrew Reid§, Michael J. Tarlowparallel , and Peter T. Rudd*

From the * Bath Unit for Research into Paediatrics, the Dagger  Department of Child Health and the § Department of Audiology, Royal United Hospital, Bath, United Kingdom; and the parallel  Institute of Child Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Objectives.  To study the efficacy of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) as a screening test for hearing impairment in children with acute bacterial meningitis. Hearing tests were performed before discharge from the hospital in an attempt to improve coverage and avoid delays in the diagnosis of postmeningitic hearing loss.

Methods.  Children with bacterial meningitis were recruited from 21 centers. In the 48 hours before discharge from the hospital, all patients underwent a thorough audiologic assessment consisting of transient evoked OAEs, auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), otoscopy, and tympanometry. Hearing loss was defined as ABR threshold >= 30 dB. The results of OAE screening were compared with the gold standard of ABR threshold.

Results.  Of 124 children recruited, we were able to perform both OAEs and ABRs on 110 children. Seven (6.3%) of the 110 children had ABR threshold >= 30 dB; 2 had sensorineural hearing loss and 5 had conductive hearing loss. At follow-up, hearing loss persisted in both cases of sensorineural hearing loss and no new cases were identified. All 7 children with hearing loss failed the OAE screening test. Ninety-four children with normal hearing thresholds passed the test, and 9 failed. Thus, the screening test had a sensitivity of 1.00 (95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 1.00), a specificity of 0.91 (0.85 to 0.97), a positive predictive value of 0.44 (0.20 to 0.70), and a negative predictive value of 1.00 (0.96 to 1.00).

Conclusions.  OAE screening in children recovering from meningitis was found to be feasible and effective. The test was highly sensitive and reasonably specific. Inpatient OAE screening should allow early diagnosis of postmeningitic hearing loss and prompt auditory rehabilitation.  Key words:  bacterial meningitis, hearing loss, otoacoustic emissions, screening test.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
F J Kirkham
Non-traumatic coma in children
Arch. Dis. Child., October 1, 2001; 85(4): 303 - 312.
[Full Text] [PDF]