Purpose
to verify the occurrence of sensorineural hearing loss in children with low level of cumulative lead exposure.
Methods
156 lead-poisoned children, 94 males and 62 females, ranging in age from 18 months old to 14 years and 5 months old were subjected to analysis of longitudinal lead level in blood as well as pure tone audiometry and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions.
Results
the population studied had a mean estimated blood lead level of 12,2±5,7mg/dL (range between 2,4 and 33mg/dL); all children had a normal response in pure tone audiometry at 20 dBHL in the frequencies tested, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz, in both ears; the transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were presented for all frequencies bilaterally in 79 children surveyed.
Conclusion
there has been no hearing loss in children with a history of low cumulative lead exposure, as there was no injury of cochlear outer hair cells, even if subclinical.
Lead; Hearing Loss; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer
