Analysis of appeals of patients with sensorineural hearing loss to the otolaryngological department during 2015-2021

Abstract

Patients with perceptual hearing impairment occupy a significant place among patients of the otolaryngology department. They often have psycho-emotional disorders, social and family disorders. It is important to understand the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Some cases of sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) remain with an unknown etiopathogenetic mechanism of development, which requires more in-depth examination of patients. Aim: to analyze the number and character of appeals of patients with sensorineural hearing impairment to the otolaryngology department of the Alexander Clinical Hospital in Kyiv during 2015-2021. Methods and materials: We analysed 13,147 inpatients 'medical records, from which 1,138 patients' cards with perceptual hearing impairments were selected. Results: According to the analysis, the absolute and relative number of patients in the otolaryngology department of Alexander Clinical Hospital in Kyiv in 2020 and 2021 decreased significantly due to the temporary re-profiling of the otolaryngology department in these years for infectious patients with COVID-19. The most common changes in bone conduction according to audiometry occurred against the background of acute or exacerbation of chronic otitis media (509 cases). But this figure may be due to inflammatory changes, rather than true sensorineural hearing loss. 155 patients could not name a specific cause. These patients required further in-depth examination. In the third most frequent place indicated hypothermia, acute respiratory diseases (135 cases). In 106 patients, acute sensorineural hearing loss was caused by vascular disorders, and 11 patients reported emotional stress as the cause. Acute trauma caused perceptual disorders in 16, surgery in 3, neuroma in 1, barotrauma and rupture of the tympanic membrane in 7, the use of chemotherapy in 3 cases. The average interval between the onset of the first symptoms of SHL and hospitalization in the otolaryngology department of the Alexander Clinical Hospital in Kyiv for 2025-2021 was 8.19 days. The lowest interval was in 2016 – 7.5 days, the largest – 10 days in 2021. The average duration of inpatient treatment of patients for 2015-2021 was 9.4 days. The lowest figure was in 2020 – 8.1 days, the highest – 10.4 days in 2021. There were 495 patients with bilateral lesions and 354 patients with left lesions, 289 patients had lesions on the right side. 39 patients with SHL and type 2 diabetes mellitus had diabetes, 460 had tinnitus and 44 had vestibular disorders. Conclusions: Patients with acute sensorineural hearing loss receive inpatient treatment in the otolaryngology department than with the progression or exacerbation of the chronic form. Otitis media and acute respiratory diseases were the most common disorders of bone conduction, but not all of these cases can be interpreted as sensorineural hearing loss. The average interval for the study period between the onset of the first symptoms and the start of treatment was 8.19 days, which exceeds the recommended time of this indicator. The average duration of inpatient treatment was 9.4 days and did not change significantly during the study period.