Hearing loss in children and adolescents with cancer

Author(s)

Aline Medeiros da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR)
• Defense date: 2006-10-16

Examining board members

Maria do Rosario Dias de Oliveira Latorre; Lilian Maria Cristofani; Iêda Chaves Pacheco Russo

• Advisor: Maria do Rosario Dias de Oliveira Latorre

Abstract

Introduction – The treatment of childhood cancer has several side effects and the ototoxicity is one of them. It can affect the inner ear structures and may lead to a hearing loss. Aim – To estimate the prevalence of hearing loss and risk factors in children and adolescents attended at the Childhood Cancer Treatment Institute (ITACI), using three classifications proposed in the literature. Methods – 94 patients admitted at ITACI between 2003 and 2004 were analyzed. The evaluation of hearing loss is not usually done in this institution and, because of this, the patients who were transferred and those who died could not be evaluated. The parents answered a questionnaire about demographic and clinical conditions. Then, the visual inspection of the external auditory meatus was done in order to verify if there were clinical conditions to perform the audiologic evaluation. The audiologic evaluation was done using pure tone audiometry (conditioned audiometry, play audiometry or visual reinforcement audiometry), tympanometry and tests of acoustic reflexes. The statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics, the Kappa statistics, chi-squared test and univariate and multiple logistic regression models. Results – The prevalence of hearing loss was 42,5% using the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) classification, 40,4% using the Pediatric Oncology Group Toxicity (POGT) classification and 12,8%, using the bilateral hearing loss (PAB) classification. The agreement on the diagnosis of hearing loss was weak for POGT and PAB (k= 0.36) and for PAB and ASHA (k=0.33). The agreement between ASHA and POGT was almost perfect (k=0.96). The only risk factor for hearing loss for all classifications was the use of cisplatin and its effect was higher if the patients use also the ifosfamide. Conclusions – Hearing loss is an important side effect in children and adolescents with cancer treated with cisplatin. It is recommended a periodic audiological monitoring, even after the patient has finished the treatment. It can early detect a hearing loss, the schedule of treatment can be reviewed and the speech-language pathologist may be indicated to address the consequences of the hearing loss. It is recommended to adopt a classification that can detect slight hearing loss (ASHA). (AU)