No5(5) 2022
Back to the issue
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DOI 10.37219/2528-8253-2022-5-23 |
Shydlovska TA, Bezega MI
Indicators of subjective audiometry in the conventional frequency range in
patients with COVID-19 |
Shidlovskaya Tetiana A.
State Institution “O.S. Kolomiychenko Institute of Otolaryngology of
National Academy of Medical Science of Ukraine”; Kyiv, Ukraine.
Head of the laboratory of voice and hearing
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor
E-mail: lorprof3@ukr.net
Orchid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7894-359X
Bezega Mychailo Iv.
Poltava State Medical University
Department of Otorhinolaryngology with Ophthalmology
Candidate of Medical Sciences
Email: bezega_lor@ukr.net, lorbezega@gmail.com
ORCID ID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1250-1190 |
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Abstract
Sensorineural deafness (SND) is a polyetiological disease. The cause of
perceptual hearing loss can be, among other things, viral infections. As a
result of the pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a significant number of
patients with various clinical manifestations of the disease COVID-19 are
observed, among which there are lesions of the central nervous,
cardiovascular, and other systems. In addition, in the publications of
researchers, there are reports of damage to the auditory analyzer. However,
there is not enough information in the literature regarding the study of
hearing function in patients with COVID-19.
The purpose of the study is to assess the state of auditory function
according to subjective audiometry data in the conventional frequency range
in pat ients with COVID-19.
Materials and methods: An analysis of subjective audiometry data in
the conventional frequency range was conducted on 36 patients with COVID-19
who complained of hearing impairment after the disease. The examination was
performed using audiometers AS-40 (Interacoustics, Denmark) and MA-31
(Germany).
Results and their discussion: To determine the indicators of
subjective audiometry in patients with perceptual disorders of auditory
function during COVID-19, we examined patients with complaints of decreased
auditory function. Among 147 patients with COVID-19, during the survey, 51
people (34.7%) indicated certain disorders of the auditory system. During
the instrumental examination of 47 patients with COVID-19 with complaints of
hearing loss, we mainly observed sensorineural disorders of auditory
function (36 people, 76.6%). Therefore, we analyzed subjective audiometry
data in these patients.
In most cases, we observed a gently descending type of tonal audiometric
curve with the greatest increase in hearing thresholds for tones in the
high-frequency region of the conventional range.
The analysis of quantitative indicators of tone audiometry showed a
significant increase in hearing thresholds for tones in the studied patients
with COVID-19 compared to individuals of the control group. In patients with
COVID-19, there is a significant (p<0.01) increase in hearing thresholds to
tones, starting at 2 kHz, compared to controls. This increase was most
pronounced at frequencies of 6 and 8 kHz, where the values were 31.2±1.5 and
34.5±1.9 dB, respectively.
Note that we did not find any significant differences in speech audiometry
indicators in the studied patients compared to the indicators of the control
group. However, some patients (7 people, 19.4%) complained of an inevitable
deterioration in speech intelligibility. Moreover, three patients (8.3%)
indicated that speech intelligibility impairment during communication
occurred to them periodically.
Also, we did not detect any significant changes in the indicators of
suprathreshold tests – Lьscher intensity differential threshold test and
SiSi test in the studied patients. Although at the same time, some patients
(8 people, 22.2%) complained about poor tolerance of loud sounds, which may
indicate the presence of FPZH (the phenomenon of accelerated increase in
loudness), and, therefore, the presence of receptor damage to the auditory
analyzer.
Therefore, a third of patients (34.7%) may have a decrease in hearing
function with the disease of COVID-19. Damage to the auditory system mainly
(76.6% among all cases of hearing impairment) manifests as perceptual
disturbances. Therefore, when examining patients suffering from COVID-19, we
believe detecting disorders in the auditory system is advisable.
Consequently, conducting an instrumental examination for those with hearing
impairment complaints is advisable. On the other hand, when presenting
patients with sensorineural deafness, it should be borne in mind that this
may be related to a previous illness of COVID-19.
Conclusions:
1. With COVID-19, a third of patients (34.7%) experience auditory function
impairment due to damage to the auditory system, mainly perceptual in nature
– 76.6% among all hearing impairment cases.
2. Hearing disorders in the case of COVID-19 can be observed directly during
the disease, but more often, such manifestations appear somewhat delayed
from the onset or after a particular time after the disease.
3. The most pronounced significant (p<0.01) increase in hearing thresholds
to tones in pat ients with COVID-19 with hearing impairment, compared to
controls, occurs at frequencies of 6 and 8 kHz, where the values were
31.2±1.5 and 34.5±1.9 dB, respectively.
4. Patients with COVID-19 who have complaints of hearing impairment should
undergo an instrumental audiological examination, first of all, subjective
audiometry. |
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Keywords
COVID-19, hearing function, perceptual hearing loss, sensorineural hearing
loss, subjective audiometry. |
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