Follow-up on the diagnostic level of children covered by the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in Poland, divided into voivodships.

INTRODUCTION: Thanks to the Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (PUNHSP), all newborns in Poland undergo a free, screening hearing examination. Between 2006 and 2015, the average number of tested children per year was 373,477. According to the analysis of The Central Database (CDB), only 55.8% of the children attended the detailed hearing examinations at the second level of the Program. AIM: The aim of this study is to analyse the dates concerning the attendance of the children at the diagnostic level of PUNHSP in different regions of Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To conduct an analysis of this fact and find out the reasons for low attendance at the second level in 2015, a telephone survey questionnaire was developed for parents who had not registered their babies for further consultation - 3,239 randomly selected parents. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that the number of children examined at the second diagnostic level of the program is in fact much higher than the results of The Central Database show. The actual number is 83.6% as opposed to 55.8%. As a result of the telephone questionnaire some inaccuracies in the input data to the CDB were detected. The main errors in gathering the information for the CDB were incorrect OAE test result and no examination performed. C onclusion: In Poland the worst results (i.e. questionnaire results compared to CDB) for the attendance at the diagnostic level were shown in Pomorskie, Lubelskie, Mazowieckie and Podlaskie regions. In many cases there was a large discrepancy between the reality and the information in the CDB. The improvement of clarity concerning the CDB application is important in order to minimise the possibility of malformation in the CDB.

The report of the Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in 2016.

The Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (PUNHSP) has been carried out in Poland for 14 years. The main aim of this Program is to organize hearing screening tests and to gather the information about risk factors of hearing loss in almost all newborns in Poland. It consists of 496 centers at 3 referral levels. A total of 5 458 114 children had been registered in the Central Database (CDB) of PUNHSP by the 22nd of August 2017. Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was the most frequently appearing hearing impairment in children. It was diagnosed in 260 cases in 2016. This report presents the most important results and conclusions concerning the running of the PUNHSP in 2016.

The report on the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in Poland between 2003 and 2015.

The Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (UNHSP) has been operating in the whole Poland since 2003. Its main goals are to perform a screening hearing in the 2-3 day of life in every newborn baby in Poland and to gather information on risk factors of hearing loss. In total, 505 centers participate in the UNHSP on three reference levels. As of January 19th 2016, the central data base (CDB) of the UNHSP has records of 4,845,036 children, which comprises 96% of all children born in Poland. Hearing loss was diagnosed in 12,974 children, i.e. in 3 out of 1000 children. Here, we present the most important results and conclusions of the UNHSP.

Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in Poland--10-year summary.

INTRODUCTION: The analysis was aimed to summarize the outcomes of Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program (PUNHSP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis comprised the population of children registered in the PUNHSP database between 2003 and 2013. The evaluated parameters included: the program coverage (percentage of children covered by the Program in relation to the number of births), results of screening tests at different levels of the Program and hearing loss incidence. RESULTS: The average screened population was 96,0% with respect to total number of live births in Poland. Children requiring further evaluation represent annual average 8.5% of the study population. Among them, on average 55.8% were consulted in audiological centers. Hearing loss incidence was estimated to be 0,3%. The highest hearing loss incidence was detected in children which failed the OAE test with concomitant risk factors. 58.2% of children were fitted with hearing aids, 34.0% were referred for surgical treatment, and 7.8% for further rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the program evaluation confirmed its good efficiency. The coverage and hearing tests results are comparable to those from other countries conducting similar national hearing screening programs.

Clinical evaluation of cochlear implant sound coding taking into account conjectural masking functions, MP3000™.

Efficacy of the SPEAK and ACE coding strategies was compared with that of a new strategy, MP3000™, by 37 European implant centers including 221 subjects. The SPEAK and ACE strategies are based on selection of 8-10 spectral components with the highest levels, while MP3000 is based on the selection of only 4-6 components, with the highest levels relative to an estimate of the spread of masking. The pulse rate per component was fixed. No significant difference was found for the speech scores and for coding preference between the SPEAK/ACE and MP3000 strategies. Battery life was 24% longer for the MP3000 strategy. With MP3000 the best results were found for a selection of six components. In addition, the best results were found for a masking function with a low-frequency slope of 50 dB/Bark and a high-frequency slope of 37 dB/Bark (50/37) as compared to the other combinations examined of 40/30 and 20/15 dB/Bark. The best results found for the steepest slopes do not seem to agree with current estimates of the spread of masking in electrical stimulation. Future research might reveal if performance with respect to SPEAK/ACE can be enhanced by increasing the number of channels in MP3000 beyond 4-6 and it should shed more light on the optimum steepness of the slopes of the masking functions applied in MP3000.

Polish universal neonatal hearing screening program-4-year experience (2003-2006).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to share our experience and observations in running the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program on a national level, present results and indicate some problems that have arisen during these 4 years. METHODS: Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program started back in 2002 in all neonatal units in Poland. Implemented testing methods consisted of test of transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) performed in all new born children in their first 2-3 days of life and auditory brainstem response testing (ABR) conducted on children, who did not meet the TEOAE pass criteria. Additional questionnaire registered information on ototoxic drugs and family history of hearing impairment in every newborn. Diagnosed children were further referred for treatment and rehabilitation. RESULTS: After 4 years of running the program (between 2003 and 2006) a total number of 1,392,427 children were screened for hearing impairment, what stands for 96.3% of all delivered babies, registered in Poland. The screening program enabled to identify and refer for further treatment 2485 children with various types of hearing loss, 312 with profound (0.02% of population) and 145 with severe sensorineural hearing loss (0.11% of population). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate the accuracy of newborn hearing screening which remain an issue. Although improvement is needed in both intervention systems and diagnostic follow-up of hospitals, the Polish Universal Neonatal Hearing Program fully has achieved the main goal, the identification and treatment of hearing impaired children.

[The dynamics of habituation of perception and reaction in tinnitus patients treated with TRT]. / Dynamika habituacji reakcji i percepcji podczas leczenia przewleklych szumów usznych metoda TRT.

In this paper the authors present the dynamics of habituation of reaction and perception in tinnitus patients. All patient with subjective chronic tinnitus were diagnosed and treated using TRT method according to Jastreboff's neurophysiological model. 110 patients was estimated during last 4 years treated in ENT Rehabilitation Center in Poznan. The authors present the most frequently troubles in every day life caused by tinnitus and also the dynamics regression of complaints during period of treatment. Speed of disappearance of suffering is very important for all patients already in the beginning of cure.

[The problem of tinnitus in patients with presbyacusis]. / Problem szumów usznych u chorych z presbyacusis.

At the ENT Rehabilitation Centre as part of ENT Department University of Medical Sciences in Poznan over 900 patients with tinnitus were diagnosed and treated. Among them were 128 patients over 65 years of age, who in addition to tinnitus, reported hearing loss. After a battery of audiological tests, blood tests and additional specialist consultation, mixed hearing loss was found in 5 patients and senso-neural hearing loss (presbyacusis) was found in remaining 123 patients. For various reasons only 75 patients began treatment. Treatment of tinnitus was threefold: electrostimulation: 40 patients (53%); fitting of hearing aid: 29 patients (39%); TRT according to Jastreboff's model: 6 patients (8%). The authors described results of treatment patients with tinnitus and presbyacusis. The treatment model adopted at the ENT Rehabilitation Centre in Poznan has produced satisfactory therapeutic results.