The natural course of otitis media with effusion in infants who failed universal newborn hearing screening: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the natural course of infants with otitis media with effusion who failed universal newborn hearing screening and to explore the appropriate observation period. METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis included infants with otitis media with effusion who failed universal newborn hearing screening every 3 months for 12 months. RESULTS: The average recovery time of the 155 infants was 7.08 ± 0.32 months after diagnosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that frequent reflux, maxillofacial deformities and initial hearing status were independent factors affecting recovery. Moreover, the cumulative recovery of most infants with mild hearing loss and infants with moderate hearing loss accompanied by frequent reflux was significantly higher at six months after diagnosis than at three months. CONCLUSION: For most infants with mild hearing loss, as well as those with moderate hearing loss accompanied by frequent reflux, the observation period can be extended to six months after diagnosis.