Abstract
BackgroundThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has become a global pandemic. With the improvement of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment regimens, life-expectancy of HIV-positive individuals has increased. HIV literature suggests that head and neck manifestations may be the first indication of supressed immunity. Therefore, research regarding the effects of HIV and new treatment regimens on auditory function remains a priority.ObjectivesTo describe the audiological characteristics and determine the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus in a group of HIV-positive individuals on ARV treatment residing in a rural province.MethodsThe study employed a cross-sectional descriptive research design. Participants were recruited from the clinic and pharmacy waiting areas of a medical centre in a rural area of Limpopo province, South Africa. Two participant groups, an HIV-positive group (N1 = 60) and an HIV-negative group (N2 = 32) were included in the study. The test battery comprised a comprehensive case history and a routine audiological test battery, which included otoscopy, tympanometry and pure tone audiometry (250 Hz to 8000 Hz).ResultsNo statistically significant difference was found regarding the prevalence of hearing loss in the two participant groups (p = 0.709). However, the prevalence of tinnitus was significantly higher in the HIV-positive group (p = 0.05).ConclusionThe insignificant difference in the audiological test battery results found between the two participant groups may be due to improved ARV treatment regimens and management strategies employed at the medical centre. However, the increased prevalence of tinnitus in the HIV-positive group may also be attributed to the ARV regimen and/or the result of subtle damage to the auditory system, which was not identified by the current audiological test battery. More insight may be obtained about the effects of HIV on hearing by employing a longitudinal research design and inclusion of a more ototoxicity sensitive test battery.
Highlights
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the most significant pandemics of modern times (Piot & Quinn, 2013)
The findings of the current study do not suggest a high prevalence of hearing loss in HIV-positive individuals (Table 3) and are similar to the findings reported by Van der Westhuizen et al (2013)
Similar to the findings reported by Van der Westhuizen et al (2013), the prevalence of tinnitus was higher in CDC categories 2 and 3 compared to CDC category 1
Summary
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the most significant pandemics of modern times (Piot & Quinn, 2013). In 2002, HIV prevalence in South Africa was estimated to be 4.25 million, increasing to 7.52 million in 2018. The highest HIV burden in South Africa is reported in rural areas (Gaede & Versteeg, 2011). High HIV prevalence in rural areas may be attributed to, amongst other factors, poor socioeconomic conditions, high unemployment rates and limited access to healthcare services and resources. These challenges adversely affect healthcare provision, which result in poorer healthcare outcomes for residents in these areas (Gaede & Versteeg, 2011). The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has become a global pandemic. Research regarding the effects of HIV and new treatment regimens on auditory function remains a priority
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