Farquhar Lauren, El Refaie Amr
Audiology, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, School of Clinical Therapies, College of Medicine and Health, University College Cork, T12 AK54 Cork, Ireland.
Audiol Res. 2025 Feb 27;15(2):23. doi: 10.3390/audiolres15020023.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Children with congenital or early onset sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) are at a greater risk of vestibular dysfunction (VD), hypothesized to occur from the close embryological relationship between the cochlear and vestibular systems. Even with increasing focus on early detection and rehabilitation through Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) programmes in many countries, few studies have focused on the prevalence and feasibility of vestibular assessment in infant populations. The objectives of this review are to 1. identify the prevalence of VD infants with congenital or early onset (<12 months old) SNHL, 2. identify which vestibular assessment tests/protocols are conducted on this population, 3. report sensitivity and specificity values for identified vestibular assessment tests/protocols.
Studies that included infants aged 0-12 months, with congenital or early onset SNHL of any laterality, degree, or configuration, and who underwent any method of vestibular assessment were included. The review adhered to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance and the PRISMA-ScR extension statement.
A total of 18 studies were included in the review. All articles reported that infants with congenital or early onset SNHL are at a greater risk of VD, particularly those with bilateral severe-profound SNHL. The cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) test was the most frequently identified vestibular assessment tool for this age demographic.
Results from the included articles coincide with results from literature assessing older paediatric populations. cVEMPs have been reported to be a feasible, sensitive, and specific screening tool in infants with congenital or early onset SNHL. The prevalence of VD in infants with congenital or early onset SNHL justify further investigation on the feasibility of establishing a pathway for vestibular assessment for all infants referred by UNHS programmes.
背景/目的：先天性或早发性感音神经性听力损失（SNHL）患儿发生前庭功能障碍（VD）的风险更高，据推测这是由于耳蜗和前庭系统在胚胎学上关系密切所致。尽管许多国家通过新生儿听力普遍筛查（UNHS）计划越来越关注早期检测和康复，但很少有研究关注婴儿群体中前庭评估的患病率和可行性。本综述的目的是：1. 确定先天性或早发性（<12个月）SNHL婴儿中VD的患病率；2. 确定针对该人群进行了哪些前庭评估测试/方案；3. 报告已确定的前庭评估测试/方案的敏感性和特异性值。
纳入的研究包括年龄在0至12个月之间、患有任何侧别、程度或形态的先天性或早发性SNHL且接受了任何前庭评估方法的婴儿。该综述遵循乔安娜·布里格斯研究所（JBI）的指导方针和PRISMA-ScR扩展声明。
该综述共纳入18项研究。所有文章均报道，先天性或早发性SNHL婴儿发生VD的风险更高，尤其是那些双侧重度至极重度SNHL的婴儿。颈前庭诱发肌源性电位（cVEMP）测试是该年龄人群中最常被提及的前庭评估工具。
纳入文章的结果与评估较大儿童群体的文献结果一致。据报道，cVEMPs是先天性或早发性SNHL婴儿可行、敏感且特异的筛查工具。先天性或早发性SNHL婴儿中VD的患病率证明有必要进一步研究为由UNHS计划转诊的所有婴儿建立前庭评估途径的可行性。
