Abstract:Objective To explore the feasibility and necessity of combined hearing screening and deafness susceptibility genes in newborns.Methods From May 2017 to Dec 2017, 5526 newborns from Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Changsha were screened by simultaneous screening of deafness susceptibility genes and hearing. Newborns who did not pass hearing rescreening and/or genetic screening for deafness disease were followed up by telephone to guide their audiological and genetic diagnosis and intervention within 3 months of age.Results A total of 5526 newborns received combined hearing and deaf disease susceptibility genetic screenings. The failure rate of deaf disease susceptibility genetic screening was 4.23% (234/5526) and that of preliminary hearing screening was 12.07% (667/5526). The rate of deaf disease susceptibility genetic screening failure among the newborns who failed the hearing screening(15.44%, 103/667) was higher than that among those passing the hearing screening(2.69%, 131/4859) (P<0.000). Among the 234 newborns who failed the deaf disease susceptibility genetic screening, GJB2 235 homozygous mutation was found in 4 cases, and SLC26A4 2168 A>G homozygous mutation in one. GJB2 gene mutations were the most commonly seen (2.55%, 141/5526), followed by SLC26A4 gene mutations (1.21%, 67/5526), MTRNR1 gene mutations (0.36%, 20/5526), and GJB3 gene mutations (0.11%, 6/5526). The most common mutations were GJB2 235delC heterozygous mutation and SLC26A4 IVS 7-2 A>G heterozygous mutation. At the age of 3 months, 14 newborns (23 ears) from 107 of hearing screening failure were diagnosed sensorineural hearing loss. Follow-up intervention included hearing aid for 8 ears and cochlear implantation for 4 ears.Conclusions For follow-up high-risk groups with deafness susceptibility genes and hearing screening failure,combined screening of hearing and deafness susceptibility genes in neonates is feasible and mutually beneficial. The combined screening is the best screening model for preventing deafness.