Use of Furosemide and Hearing Loss in Neonatal Intensive Care Survivors

Hearing loss is a significant morbidity in survivors of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The overall prevalence of hearing loss in neonates is 0.93 per 1000 live births, whereas in neonates weighing less than 2000 g, it is as high as 15.5 per 1000 live births. The increased incidence of hearing loss in NICU graduates has been attributed to their underlying disease process as well as exposure to ototoxic drugs including furosemide. A retrospective chart review of all neonatal intensive care survivors was done to evaluate the potential effect of furosemide on hearing loss. From July 2000 to January 2002, there were 57 neonates who received and 207 neonates who did not receive furosemide. The incidence of abnormal hearing screen was 15.5% in the furosemide group and 15.9% in the nonfurosemide group (p = 0.9). Although the incidence of hearing loss is significantly higher in NICU graduates in comparison with the general neonatal population, it does not seem to be directly related to the use of furosemide.

Neonate - furosemide - hearing loss

REFERENCES

• 1 Walton J P, Hendricks-Munoz K. Profile and stability of sensorineural hearing loss in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.  J Speech Hear Res. 1991;  34 1362-1370
• 2 Salamy A, Eldredge L, Tooley W H. Neonatal status and hearing loss in high-risk infants.  J Pediatr. 1989;  114 847-852
• 3 Hendricks-Munoz K D, Walton J P. Hearing loss in infants with persistent fetal circulation.  Pediatrics. 1988;  81 650-656
• 4 Haupt H, Scheibe F, Ludwig C. Changes in cochlear oxygenation, microcirculation and auditory function during prolonged general hypoxia.  Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1993;  250 396-400
• 5 Sohmer H, Freeman S, Malachle S. Multi-modality evoked potentials in hypoxemia.  Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1986;  64 328-333
• 6 Stolar C JH, Crisafi M A, Driscoll Y T. Neurocognitive outcome for neonates treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: are infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia different?.  J Pediatr Surg. 1995;  30 366-371
• 7 Syka J, Melichar I. The effect of loop diuretics upon summating potentials in the guinea pig.  Hear Res. 1985;  20 267-273
• 8 Nield T A, Schrier S, Ramos A D, Platzker A CG, Warburton D. Unexpected hearing loss in high-risk infants.  Pediatrics. 1986;  78 417-422
• 9 Kawashiro N, Tsuchihashi N, Koga K, Kawano T, Itoh Y. Delayed post-neonatal intensive care unit hearing disturbance.  Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 1996;  34 35-43
• 10 Cook D J, Tudball C F. Potentiators and bolus intravenous furosemide.  Lancet. 2001;  358 1373-1374
• 11 Brown D R, Watchko J F, Sabo D. Neonatal sensorineural hearing loss associated with furosemide: a case control study.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 1991;  33 816-823
• 12 Cheung P Y, Magathan Haluschak M, Finer N N, Robertson C MT. Sensorineural hearing loss in survivors of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.  Early Hum Dev. 1996;  44 225-233
• 13 Lasky R E, Wiorek L, Becker T R. Hearing loss in survivors of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy and high-frequency oscillatory (HFO) therapy.  J Am Acad Audiol. 1998;  9 47-58
• 14 Marron M-J, Crisafi M A, Driscoll J M et al.. Hearing and neurodevelopmental outcome in survivors of persistent hypertension of the newborn.  Pediatrics. 1992;  90 392-396
• 15 American Academy of Pediatrics . Noise: a hazard for the fetus and newborn.  Pediatrics. 1997;  100 724-727