Volume 131, Issue 6 p. 804-809
Original Article

A Diagnostic Paradigm for Childhood Idiopathic Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Dr. Diego A. Preciado MD

Dr. Diego A. Preciado MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Lynne H.Y. Lim MD

Dr. Lynne H.Y. Lim MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Aliza P. Cohen MA

Dr. Aliza P. Cohen MA

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Colm Madden MD

Dr. Colm Madden MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. David Myer BS

Dr. David Myer BS

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Chris Ngo BS

Dr. Chris Ngo BS

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. John K. Bradshaw MD

Dr. John K. Bradshaw MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Louise Lawson PHD

Dr. Louise Lawson PHD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

Center for Epidemiology and Biostatstics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. Daniel I. Choo MD

Dr. Daniel I. Choo MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio

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Dr. John H. Greinwald JR MD

Corresponding Author

Dr. John H. Greinwald JR MD

Center for Hearing and Deafness Research (CHDR), Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio

Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229–3039; e-mail, [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
First published: 17 May 2016
Citations: 6

Presented at the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting, Nashville, TN, May 5, 2003.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to determine the diagnostic yield of laboratory testing, radiological imaging, and GJB2 mutation screening in a large cohort of patients with differing severities of idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

DESIGN AND SETTING

We undertook a retrospective study of patients presenting with SNHL at our institution from 1993 to 2002.

RESULTS

Laboratory testing had an extremely low yield. Patients with unilateral SNHL had a significantly higher imaging yield than those with bilateral. The diagnostic yield of GJB2 screening was significantly higher in patients with severe to profound SNHL than in those with less severe SNHL. However, a relatively large number of patients with mild to moderate SNHL had positive GJB2 screens.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on diagnostic yields, we propose a cost-effective stepwise diagnostic paradigm to replace the more commonly used and costly simultaneous testing approach. EBM rating: C. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2004;131: 804–9.)