Congenital cytomegalovirus infection and audiological follow-up: electrophysiological auditory threshold before 3 months of age as a predictor of hearing outcome at 3 years of age

Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether electrophysiological auditory thresholds (EATs) before 3 month of age, as assessed by the auditory brainstem responses (ABR) test and the auditory steady state responses (ASSR) test, can predict hearing outcome at 3 years of age among children born with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection. Study design: Audiological assessment was performed before 3 months of age, and every 6 months thereafter until 3 years of age, in a population of 63 children (126 ears). EATs before 3 months of age and at 3 years of age were compared. Result: No ear with an EAT of ≤30 dBHL (i.e. normal hearing) before 3 months of age showed worsening EATs at 3 years of age. Conclusion: An EAT of ≤30 dBHL obtained by ABR and ASSR tests before 3 months of age is predictive of a normal hearing at 3 years of age in children born with cCMV.