Background: The incidence of hearing loss in neonates is 2-4 cases in every 1000 live births. Hearing loss, especially in mild and moderate forms, may not be recognized before the second year, but may produce great defects in conversational abilities.
Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the hearing impairment with invasive and non-invasive ventilation in Zagazig University Hospitals.
Patients and methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of preterm infants attending in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Zagazig University hospital in the period of time between February 2021 and August 2021. The studied population included thirty preterm infants. Visual examination of the external auditory meatus and tympanic membrane was performed using a Welch Allyn Halogen Otoscope. Results: There was non-significant difference between the studied groups regarding gender, gestational age, or birth weight. There was significant increase in cesarean (CS) mode in nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) group (86.7%) compared to 40% in synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV) group. On the other hand, there was non-significant difference between them regarding presence of maternal risk factors. About 50% of patients underwent NCPAP, while the other 50% underwent SIMV. The duration ranged from 7 to 13 days with mean 9.03 days. The Apgar at 1, 5 and 10 minutes and Down score; all were significantly lower in SIMV group. In each group, there was significant increase in Apgar score over time.
Conclusion: There was no significant effect of invasive ventilation (SIMV) and non-invasive ventilation (NCPAP) on auditory function of preterm infants.