Hearing Loss In Adolescents Research Articles

Global, regional, and national burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundHearing loss in children and adolescents is attracting increasing attention as a growing public health problem. This study aimed to analyze the burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021 to provide a new basis for further epidemiological research, disease prevention, and public health policy development.MethodsThe prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) of hearing loss in children and adolescents from 1990 to 2021 at the global, regional, and national levels were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to assess trends in prevalence and YLDs. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between sociodemographic index (SDI) and prevalence and YLDs.ResultsIn 2021, approximately 97.83 million children and adolescents under the age of 20 years were affected by hearing loss globally, resulting in approximately 3.91 million YLDs. From 1990 to 2021, the prevalence rate increased from 3537 per 100,000 to 3711 per 100,000, with an EAPC of 0.15% (95% CI: 0.12–0.17). The burden of hearing loss was greater in low-middle-SDI region and low-SDI region. Mild hearing loss accounted for 62.1% of the total cases and was the predominant type of hearing loss. Otitis media was the leading preventable cause of hearing loss, with 46.9% of hearing loss attributed to otitis media. Moreover, in children under 5 years of age, 68.7% of hearing loss was attributed to otitis media. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the prevalence rates and YLDs rates of hearing loss were negatively correlated with the SDI (R = -0.57, P < 0.001; R = -0.64, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents has increased over the past three decades and remains high. The burden is greater in less economically developed countries or regions. Policymakers should pay attention to the increasing burden of hearing loss in children and adolescents and take targeted measures to control this burden.

Otitis media sequelae and hearing in adolescence after administration of an 11-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine in infancy: a prospective cohort study with long-term follow-up of the ARIVAC trial

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been shown in randomised controlled trials and epidemiological studies to prevent acute otitis media caused by vaccine serotype pneumococci, although their role in preventing complications of acute otitis media is less clear. We hypothesised that the 11-valent PCV would reduce the long-term sequelae of acute otitis media, including moderate-to-severe ear disease and hearing loss. This prospective cohort study, referred to as 11PCV study, included follow-up after 16-20 years of children previously enrolled in 2000-04, at age 6 weeks to 6 months, in the randomised, placebo-controlled, ARIVAC trial of 11-valent PCV for the prevention of radiographical pneumonia. The ARIVAC trial and this 11PCV study were conducted at six study centres in Bohol, Philippines. Ear disease was classified using video-otoscopy review and observations derived from the ear exam. The final classification of the worst ear disease was mild (ie, acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, healed perforation, or tympanosclerosis), moderate (ie, dry perforation or adhesive otitis media), or severe (chronic suppurative otitis media). Hearing loss was assessed following a standard schema and classified according to the worst ear as mild (>15 to 30 dB puretone average) or moderate-to-profound (>30 dB pure tone average). We calculated the relative and absolute risk reduction in the primary outcome of moderate-to-severe ear disease and the secondary outcomes of mild or moderate-to-profound hearing loss in adolescents who previously received the 11-valent PCV compared with those who received placebo during infancy in ARIVAC. Of the 15 593 children assessed for eligibility in ARIVAC, 12 194 were randomly assigned and 8926 were alive and could be located for enrolment in this 11PCV study between Sept 19, 2016, and Dec 13, 2019. 8321 (4188 in the vaccine group and 4133 in the placebo group) completed follow-up of the 11PCV study by March 30, 2020, and had sufficient data to classify ear disease and be included in the primary outcome analysis. The primary outcome of the absolute risk reduction in moderate-to-severe ear disease in the vaccine group (310 [7·4%] of 4188) versus those in the placebo group (356 [8·6%] of 4133) was 1·2% (95% CI 0·0-2·4; p=0·046) and the relative risk reduction was 14·1% (0·0 to 26·0). There were no differences in secondary outcomes of mild hearing loss or moderate-to-profound hearing loss between the vaccine and placebo groups. The absolute risk reduction for moderate-to-severe ear disease in adolescence of 1·2% (12 per 1000 children) was almost three times higher than the 0·45% reduction (4·5 per 1000 children) in radiographical pneumonia in the first 2 years of life shown in ARIVAC. Administration of 11-valent PCV in infancy was associated with absolute and relative risk reductions in the sequelae of acute otitis media 16-20 years after the original ARIVAC trial. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Microalbuminuria and Functional Iron Deficiency are Risk Factors for Hearing Loss in Adolescents.

Renal impairment and some systemic diseases are associated with hearing loss (HL) in adults. However, studies of these relationship in adolescents are rare. The objective of this study was to determine the association between HL and renal or systemic disease in adolescents. Subjects were extracted from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2012. We included adolescents aged 10-19 years old with normal tympanic membrane and those who underwent a physical and laboratory examination and pure tone audiometry. HL, high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL), albuminuria, impaired glomerular filtration rate, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity were evaluated based on the data. Individuals with microalbuminruia (MIA) exhibited higher prevalence of HL (p = 0.003) and HFHL (p = 0.012) than those without MIA. The prevalence of HL and HFHL appeared to increase according to the severity of albuminuria. Additionally, individuals with HL or HFHL showed lower transferrin saturation (TSAT) than individuals without HL (p = 0.002) or HFHL (p = 0.001). And, HFHL was associated with lower ferritin levels (p = 0.017). HL and HFHL were related to MIA (p = 0.004 and p = 0.022, respectively) and TSAT (p = 0.005 and p = 0.011, respectively) after controlling other factors. MIA and TSAT level were independently associated with the HL and HFHL. Since MIA can be easily detected by dipstick test and urine analysis, hearing evaluations for individuals with MIA might be helpful to identify hearing impairments earlier in adolescents. 3 (individual cross-sectional study) Laryngoscope, 134:3329-3334, 2024.

Sodium thiosulfate does not protect ovarian reserve from cisplatin-induced gonadotoxicity†.

Cisplatin, a platinum-containing alkylating agent, is used in the treatment of various tumors owing to its potent antitumor activity. However, it causes permanent and adverse effects, particularly hearing loss and depletion of ovarian reserve. Until recently, there were no clinically available protective agents to mitigate the adverse side effects of cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. In 2022, sodium thiosulfate (STS) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for mitigating hearing loss in children and adolescents undergoing cisplatin treatment. Consequently, our investigation aimed to determine if STS could protect ovarian reserve against cisplatin-induced gonadotoxicity. In an ex vivo culture, the cisplatin-only group exhibited a loss of primordial follicles, while post-STS administration after cisplatin exposure effectively protected primordial follicles. However, when post-STS was administrated either 6 or 4h after cisplatin exposure, it did not confer protection against cisplatin-induced gonadotoxicity in postnatal day 7 or adolescent mouse models. Immunofluorescence assays using γH2AX and cPARP revealed that oocytes within primordial follicles exhibited DNA damage after cisplatin exposure, irrespective of post-STS administration. This underscores the rapid and heightened sensitivity of oocytes to gonadotoxicity. In addition, oocytes demonstrated an increased expression of pCHK2 rather than pERK, suggesting that the pathway leading to oocyte death differs from the pathway observed in the inner ear cell death following cisplatin exposure. These results imply that while the administration of STS after cisplatin is highly beneficial in preventing hearing loss, it does not confer a protective effect on the ovaries in mouse models.

Prevalence and pattern of sensorineural hearing loss among children and adolescents with sickle cell disease in a tertiary health facility, Northwest Nigeria

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) can result in painful vascular occlusion crises, anoxia, and ischemia, which can occasionally cause damage to tissues and organs, including the auditory system, particularly the blood-rich cochlea. Despite being underreported, Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) is a well-known consequence of SCD globally. The study’s objective was to determine the prevalence and pattern of hearing loss in children and adolescents aged 5 to 16 years old with SCD who were in steady state and were seen at the hematology and pediatric outpatient clinics at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria. A prospective hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 125 children with SCD in steady state, aged 5 to 16, who were enrolled in the hematology clinic at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, Nigeria, and 125 ‘age- and sex-matched healthy controls, who were selected from the ABUTH’s pediatric outpatient clinics. An organized questionnaire was used to collect fundamental data on the sociodemographic characteristics and medical history of the participants and controls. In a sound-treated booth, the participant’s hearing was evaluated using tympanometry and pure tone audiometry. Overall, 68 (54.4%) and 57 (45.6%) out of the 125 assessed participants were male and female, respectively, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.2:1 and the mean age 10.17±3.55 years. Due to age-sex matching, the subject’s age and sex distributions match those of the controls. Children with SCD experienced bilateral SNHL ≥25 dB in 32/125 (25.6%) cases (21 males;11 females). The control group, which had a HbAA phenotype that was normal, did not exhibit any hearing loss. 21/32 (65.6%) of the participants had mild (26-40 dB) hearing loss, and SNHL occurred more frequently in males (21/32 (65.6%) than in females (11/32 (34.4%). In comparison to 3(9.4%) HbSC and 1(3.1%) HbSS+F, SNHL was more common in individuals with 28(87.5%) HbSS phenotypes. While diverse frequencies were impacted in the affected participants, there was no consistency in the frequency pattern of hearing loss. The current study showed that SNHL is a frequent complication in children and adolescents with SCD. About 25% of children and adolescents with SCD experienced SNHL, which disproportionately affected males. Frequent audiometry should be carried out to check the children’s hearing levels and identify any early hearing losses so that interventions can be made to perhaps prevent associated speech and language issues that might cause educational challenges.

The impact of the temporal sequence of cranial radiotherapy and platin-based chemotherapy on hearing impairment in pediatric and adolescent CNS and head-and-neck cancer patients: A report from the PanCareLIFE consortium.

The impact of the temporal sequence by which cranial radiotherapy (CRT) and platin-based chemotherapy (PCth) are administered on sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in pediatric and adolescent central nervous system (CNS) and head-and-neck (HN) cancer patients has not yet been studied in detail. We examined the ototoxic effects of sequentially applied CRT and PCth. This study included children and adolescents with CNS and HN tumors who participated in the multicountry PanCareLIFE (PCL) consortium. Audiological outcomes were compared between patients who received CRT prior to PCth and those who received it afterwards. The incidence, degree and posttreatment progression of SNHL, defined as Muenster classification grade ≥MS2b, were evaluated in 141 patients. One hundred and nineteen patients were included in a time-to-onset analysis. Eighty-eight patients received CRT prior to PCth (Group 1) and 53 patients received PCth before CRT (Group 2). Over a median follow-up time of 1.6 years, 72.7% of patients in Group 1 experienced SNHL ≥ MS2b compared to 33.9% in Group 2 (P < .01). A time-to-onset analysis was performed for 74 patients from Group 1 and 45 patients from Group 2. Median time to hearing loss (HL) ≥ MS2b was 1.2 years in Group 1 and 4.4 years in Group 2 (P < .01). Thus, audiological outcomes were better for patients who received CRT after PCth than before. This finding should be further evaluated and considered within clinical practice in order to minimize hearing loss in children and adolescents with CNS and HN tumors.

The Role of Metabolic Syndrome Components in Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Adolescents: A Case-Control Study.

Introduction Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its associated components were reported as a possible cause of inner ear dysfunction. However, research about the influence of cardiovascular risk factors on hearing thresholds are conducted mainly in adult patients. Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate auditory function in adolescents with MetS compared with healthy controls. Methods One hundred adolescents with metabolic syndrome and 200 sex- and age-matched controls were recruited from a university pediatric endocrine clinic from May 2018 to July 2020. Hearing loss was defined as hearing level ≥ 15 dB at speech frequency (SFHL) or high frequency (HFHL) in one or both ears. A multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis examined the correlation between MetS components and several important demographic characteristics, and hearing loss. Results A total of 165 (55.0%) boys and 135 (45.0%) girls participated in this study. The rates of SFHL and HFHL in adolescents with MetS were 32.0% and 51.0%, respectively. Those values for controls were 5.0% and 15.5%, respectively. The regression analysis showed high triglycerides as a significant predictor for SFHL (odds ratio 10.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.98, 59.74). Neither predictor of interest was significant for HFHL. Conclusion Hypertriglyceridemia may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of SFHL. However, the strength of the association was not significant with a wide confidence interval. Also, we were unable to find an association between predictors and HFHL with the current sample size. Larger and prospective studies are recommended.

Association of Outpatient Oral Macrolide Use With Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

Prior publications have reported the sporadic development of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) after intravenous or high-dose macrolide therapy for adults with comorbid conditions, but investigations of the auditory effect of oral outpatient dosing for children, adolescents, and young adults have been limited. To determine whether broad-based outpatient use of oral macrolide therapy is associated with increased risk of pediatric SNHL through nationally representative analyses. A retrospective case-control study of 875 matched pairs of children, adolescents, and young adults was performed, matching on age, sex, and the time elapsed since prescription date. All eligible pediatric patients were included, with matched control participants from the TRICARE US military health insurance system who were evaluated between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2014. Oral outpatient macrolide treatment compared with penicillin use among pediatric patients. The clinical outcome of interest was SNHL in children, adolescents, and young adults. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to compare the risk of prior macrolide exposure with penicillin exposure, adjusted for other risk factors and potential confounders. Four time frames between exposure and diagnosis were additionally assessed. There were 875 eligible matched pairs of children, adolescents, and young adults included. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 5.7 (4.9) years; 1082 participants were male (62%), 58 were Asian (3%), 254 were Black (15%), 1152 were White (66%), and 286 were of Native American and other (no further breakdown was available in the TRICARE database) race and ethnicity (16%). In multivariable analysis, participants who had SNHL had increased odds of having received a macrolide prescription compared with a penicillin prescription when all time frames from exposure were included (adjusted odds ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.05-1.64). There were significantly higher odds of macrolide exposure than penicillin exposure when diagnosis and testing occurred more than 180 days after antibiotic exposure (adjusted odds ratio, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.23-2.60). In this case-control study of a nationally representative patient population, findings suggest that children, adolescents, and young adults with SNHL had increased odds of outpatient oral macrolide use compared with penicillin use, particularly when having received a diagnosis more than 180 days after exposure. Further study of the association of macrolides with SNHL in children, adolescents, and young adults is warranted.

Auditory processing remains sensitive to environmental experience during adolescence in a rodent model

Elevated neural plasticity during development contributes to dramatic improvements in perceptual, motor, and cognitive skills. However, malleable neural circuits are vulnerable to environmental influences that may disrupt behavioral maturation. While these risks are well-established prior to sexual maturity (i.e., critical periods), the degree of neural vulnerability during adolescence remains uncertain. Here, we induce transient hearing loss (HL) spanning adolescence in gerbils, and ask whether behavioral and neural maturation are disrupted. We find that adolescent HL causes a significant perceptual deficit that can be attributed to degraded auditory cortex processing, as assessed with wireless single neuron recordings and within-session population-level analyses. Finally, auditory cortex brain slices from adolescent HL animals reveal synaptic deficits that are distinct from those typically observed after critical period deprivation. Taken together, these results show that diminished adolescent sensory experience can cause long-lasting behavioral deficits that originate, in part, from a dysfunctional cortical circuit.

IMPACT OF GENDER AND DEGREE OF HEARING LOSS ON SELF ESTEEM IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Background: Hearing impairment is considered as one of the major contributor of drop in low self-esteem of adolescents. Children and adolescents with significant hearing loss have difficulties like communication and social skills in different aspects of their quality of life which later on lead to anxiety, depression and social isolation. Objective: To find out the impact of gender and degree of hearing loss in children and adolescents not using hearing aid. Methodology: A cross sectional survey was conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Total participants were 551 selected between 9-15 years age , with mild and moderate degree of hearing loss with no history of using hearing aid. The Rosenberg self-esteem scale was used to measure the self-esteem level. The data was analysed through multiple linear regression testing SPSS version 21. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 12.38±1.773 year. The degree of hearing loss and the gender were statistically significant predictor {F (df) =157.636(2,548), p&lt;0.001, r2 = .365} of the self-esteem in hearing impaired children. Hence, the age was not significant predictor on the self-esteem (β=.367, p=.228) Conclusion: The self-esteem in the children and adolescents with hearing impairment was affected by gender and degree of hearing loss. Whereas age have no impact on the self-esteem. Keywords: Adolescent, children, Hearing impairment, hearing loss, self-esteem.

Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Screening for Early Stages of High-frequency Hearing Loss in Adolescents.

Objective:Adolescents may be at risk of noise-induced hearing loss due to recreational sound. The aim of this study was to examine the role of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in screening for early stages of high-frequency loss such as can be observed in noise-induced hearing loss.Setting and design:This cross-sectional study was embedded within Generation R, an ongoing prospective birth cohort study in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Data were collected from April 2016 to September 2019.Methods:A total of 3456 adolescents with a mean age of 13 years and 8 months old (standard deviation ± 5 months) were included. Pure-tone thresholds were measured in a sound-treated booth. DPOAEs were recorded using an ILO V6 analyzer with primary levels of 65/55 dB SPL and frequency ratio f2/f1 of 1.22. Subjects had normal middle ear function at the time of assessment, based on tympanometry results.Results:Measurements in 6065 ears showed that DPOAE levels tend to decrease with increasing pure-tone thresholds. However, the intersubject variability of DPOAE levels in ears with the same threshold was large. DPOAE levels could reasonably identify early stages of high-frequency hearing loss.Conclusion:The findings of present study indicate that DPOAE measurements can potentially be used for adolescents hearing screening in the high frequencies. Future research is needed to optimize test performance.

청소년기 소음성 청력손실의 원인 및 예방에 대한 중·고등학교 교사의 인식

청소년기 소음성 청력손실의 원인 및 예방에 대한 중·고등학교 교사의 인식

Prevalence and risk factors for cisplatin-induced hearing loss in children, adolescents, and young adults: a multi-institutional North American cohort study

Cisplatin is used to treat a wide range of childhood cancers and cisplatin-induced hearing loss (CIHL) is a common and debilitating toxicity. We aimed to address persistent knowledge gaps in CIHL by establishing benchmarks for the prevalence of and risk factors for CIHL. In this multi-institutional cohort study, children (age 0-14 years), adolescents, and young adults (age 15-39 years) diagnosed with a cisplatin-treated tumour from paediatric cancer centres, who had available cisplatin dosing information, and primary audiology data for central review from consortia located in Canada and the USA were eligible for inclusion. Audiology was centrally reviewed and CIHL graded using the consensus International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) Boston Ototoxicity Scale. We assessed the prevalence of moderate or severe CIHL (SIOP grade ≥2) at latest follow-up and end of therapy, in each demographic, diagnosis, and treatment group and their relative contributions to risk for CIHL. Secondary endpoints explored associations of cisplatin dose reductions and CIHL with survival. We also examined whether cisplatin dose reductions and CIHL were associated with survival outcomes. We included 1481 patients who received cisplatin. Of the 1414 (95·5%) participants who had audiometry at latest follow-up (mean 3·9 years [SD 4·2] since diagnosis), 620 (43·8%) patients developed moderate or severe CIHL. The highest prevalence of CIHL was seen in the youngest patients (aged <5 years; 360 [59·4%] of 606 patients) and those with a CNS tumour (221 [50·9%] of 434 patients), hepatoblastoma (110 [65·9%] of 167 patients), or neuroblastoma (154 [62·1%] of 248 patients). After accounting for cumulative cisplatin dose, higher fractionated doses were associated with risk for CIHL (for each 10mg/m2 increase per day, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1·15 [95% CI 1·07-1·25]; for each 50 mg/m2 increase per cycle aOR 2·16 [1·37-3·51]). Vincristine exposure was newly identified as a risk factor for CIHL (aOR 3·55 [2·19-5·84]). Dose reductions and moderate or severe CIHL were not significantly associated with survival differences. Using this large, multicentre cohort, benchmarks were established for the prevalence of CIHL in patients treated with cisplatin. Variations in cisplatin dosing confer additive risk for developing CIHL and warrant investigation as a potential approach to decrease the burden of therapy. US National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, US National Institutes of Health and National Cancer institute, St Baldrick's Foundation, Genome Canada, Genome British Columbia, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, University of British Columbia, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority, Health Canada, and C17 Research Network.

Personal Music Players Use and Other Noise Hazards among Children 11 to 12 Years Old.

Exposure to loud music—due to widespread personal music players (PMPs) and noisy leisure activities—are major risk factors for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) in adolescents. However, there is little evidence of the impact of noise on the hearing of younger children. This study aimed to explore an association between PMP use and hearing, and to identify other sources of noise among children. The study sample consisted of 1032 children aged 11–12 years old. Hearing thresholds were determined from 0.5 to 8 kHz. PMP use and other noise exposures were evaluated using a survey. We found that 82% of the children had a PMP, and 78% were exposed to noise when playing computer games. An audiometric notch was documented in 1.3% of the children. Only 11.5% of the children ever used hearing protection while engaged in noisy activities. We found no convincing evidence of an association between PMP use and hearing thresholds, although our results suggest that tinnitus may be an early sign of NIHL in young children. The study shows a need to provide children, their parents, and educators with knowledge of how to take care of hearing, including how to avoid and minimize noise exposure.

Association between pyrethroid pesticide exposure and hearing loss in adolescents

BackgroundHearing loss in adolescents is a serious public health problem with a high prevalence. Pyrethroids are one of the most widely applied insecticides that have been linked to neurotoxicity. However, there is no study about the effect of pyrethroid insecticide exposure on the auditory system in the general population. ObjectiveTo investigate the association between pyrethroid pesticide exposure and hearing loss in adolescents in the United States. MethodsA total of 720 adolescents aged 12–19 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007–2010) were considered. 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a urinary metabolite, was applied as a biomarker to assess pyrethroid exposure. Hearing loss in adolescents was defined as a pure-tone average (PTA) > 15 dB in either ear. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of urinary 3-PBA with PTA hearing thresholds and risk of hearing loss, respectively. ResultsThe weighted geometric mean of 3-PBA levels in urine was 0.32 μg/g creatinine, and 7.62% of adolescents had hearing loss. After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, serum cotinine, annual family income and exposure to loud noise/music, linear regression analyses found that Ln-transformed 3-PBA was positively correlated with increase of hearing thresholds in either left (β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.20–1.01) or right ear (β = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.16–0.89). Logistic regression analyses showed that adjusted odds ratio (OR) for hearing loss in adolescents with the highest tertile (≥0.52 μg/g creatinine) of 3-PBA were 3.12 (95% CI: 1.42–6.83) compared with the lowest tertile (<0.18 μg/g creatinine), with significant linear trends across tertiles. ConclusionPyrethroid pesticide exposure was positively associated with hearing loss in U.S. adolescents. This study provides new evidence for the association between pyrethroid exposure and auditory function.

Structural neuroimaging of the altered brain stemming from pediatric and adolescent hearing loss-Scientific and clinical challenges.

There has been a spurt in structural neuroimaging studies of the effect of hearing loss on the brain. Specifically, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technologies provide an opportunity to quantify changes in gray and white matter structures at the macroscopic scale. To date, there have been 32 MRI and 23 DTI studies that have analyzed structural differences accruing from pre- or peri-lingual pediatric hearing loss with congenital or early onset etiology and postlingual hearing loss in pre-to-late adolescence. Additionally, there have been 15 prospective clinical structural neuroimaging studies of children and adolescents being evaluated for cochlear implants. The results of the 70 studies are summarized in two figures and three tables. Plastic changes in the brain are seen to be multifocal rather than diffuse, that is, differences are consistent across regions implicated in the hearing, speech and language networks regardless of modes of communication and amplification. Structures in that play an important role in cognition are affected to a lesser extent. A limitation of these studies is the emphasis on volumetric measures and on homogeneous groups of subjects with hearing loss. It is suggested that additional measures of morphometry and connectivity could contribute to a greater understanding of the effect of hearing loss on the brain. Then an interpretation of the observed macroscopic structural differences is given. This is followed by discussion of how structural imaging can be combined with functional imaging to provide biomarkers for longitudinal tracking of amplification. This article is categorized under: Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease Translational, Genomic, and Systems Medicine > Translational Medicine Laboratory Methods and Technologies > Imaging.

Prevalence and clinical aspects of hearing loss among the South Korean adolescent: Data from a population-based study

ObjectivesSlight/mild hearing loss is detrimental to communication and academic achievements. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of hearing loss, and to investigate the factors related to noise-induced hearing loss among South Korean adolescent. MethodsAs a population-based retrospective study, 1845 South Korean adolescents aged from 12 to 19 years were analyzed using the data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES V, 2010–2012). The prevalence of hearing loss according to the side, severity, and frequency was calculated. For assessing the noise-induced hearing loss in adolescent, the prevalence of hearing loss only in high-frequency (onlyHFHL, defined as 1) thresholds at 0.5 and 1 kHz of ≤15 dB HL, and 2) maximal thresholds at 3, 4, or 6 kHz ≥ 15 dB HL higher than the highest threshold for 0.5 and 1 kHz) was analyzed. Moreover, the relevance of onlyHFHL in context of sociodemographic factors and noise exposure history was evaluated. ResultsThe prevalence of unilateral and bilateral hearing loss based on the average of six frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 kHz) in South Korean adolescents were 8.56% and 1.03%, respectively, and most cases were hearing loss with slight/mild degree. The prevalence of unilateral and bilateral onlyHFHL were 32.74% and 5.53%, respectively. Factors found to be associated with onlyHFHL were sex (female) and household income (high). ConclusionsAccording to this population-based study, the prevalence of slight/mild hearing loss and onlyHFHL in the South Korean adolescents were considerably high. With knowledge of the factors related with onlyHFHL, paying more attention to slight/mild hearing loss will be helpful in preventing hearing loss in adolescents.

Prevalence of hearing loss and use of hearing aids among children and adolescents in Germany: a systematic review

BackgroundCurrent data suggest that approximately 466 million people (5.0%) of the world’s population have disabling hearing loss, therefrom, 34 million children, impacting their quality of life. To provide estimates on the prevalence of hearing loss on a national level, we reviewed the epidemiological literature addressing hearing loss in children and adolescents living in Germany as an example for a Western country.MethodsWe searched Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect and LIVIVO to identify published data. Furthermore, we manually searched websites of relevant institutions and journals not listed in electronically and searched for ongoing studies and/or not yet published data in clinicaltrials.gov. Study selection, data extraction, and methodological assessment were carried out by two reviewers.ResultsIn total, 11 reports provided data with sample sizes ranging from 310 up to more than 14 million children and adolescents. Prevalence data were collected by interviews (self-assessments), using pure-tone audiometry or the international classification of diseases (ICD-10) coding and ranged from 0.1 to 128 per 1000 children. Although the estimate of the prevalence of hearing loss goes down, when the threshold was raised, generating a comprehensive and coherent set of estimates proved challenging owing to clinical heterogeneity including variation in age, the study setting, the definition of hearing loss and the assessment method. Moreover, representativeness (external validity) was often impaired owing to estimates lacking currentness (i.e., referring to former West Germany) or selected (patient) data and may not be typical for a more general population.ConclusionsIn conclusions, this work raises public awareness of the high prevalence of hearing loss, highlights issues associated with epidemiological research and is of great importance for researcher and those who use epidemiological data to inform clinical and political decision making.

Hearing loss in Korean adolescents: The prevalence thereof and its association with leisure noise exposure.

The increasing use of personal listening devices (PLDs) has been accompanied by a rise in the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) in younger age groups. However, there have been few reports on the relationship between HL and leisure noise exposure (LNE) in adolescents. The purpose of our study was to investigate the prevalence of HL in students attending general middle and high schools and to identify factors affecting HL prevalence. A total of 2,879 nationally representative adolescents in the first years of middle and high school underwent audiometric testing and otological examinations, and completed questionnaires, from June to December 2016. A speech-frequency hearing loss (SFHL) was considered present when the pure tone averages (PTAs) at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz were ≥ 15 dB and a high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL) was considered present when the PTAs at 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz were ≥ 15 dB. About 17% of Korean adolescents exhibited at least slight HL. The prevalence rates of SFHL and HFHL in the poorer ear were 11.6% and 10.3%, respectively, among Korean adolescents. The use of local area network (LAN) gaming centers and an experience of being asked by others to lower earphone volume were associated with both SFHL and HFHL. It is important to avoid excessive LNE to prevent adolescent HL. Additionally, SFHL or HFHL in the poorer ear was associated with lower academic performance.

The Bonebridge implant in older children and adolescents with mixed or conductive hearing loss: Audiological outcomes

IntroductionFor children with conductive or mixed hearing loss, in whom use of conventional hearing aids is impossible or limited, use of bone conduction devices is recommended. The choice between the available types of devices depends mostly on the degree of hearing loss, age, and anatomical conditions. One device application in children older than 5 years is the Bonebridge implant. The aim of this study is to assess the benefits and safety of this device in children. MethodsThe material was a group of 11 older children and adolescents aged 10–17 years (mean = 14.7, SD = 2.45) with single-sided or bilateral conductive or mixed hearing loss, implanted unilaterally with the Bonebridge system at the World Hearing Center in Kajetany near Warsaw between 2014 and 2016. Benefits of the Bonebridge were assessed with warble tone audiometry and word audiometry in free field, as well as an APHAB (Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit) questionnaire before and after implantation. ResultsHearing tests showed a statistically significant improvement in hearing sensitivity and speech discrimination. Results of the questionnaire confirm the benefits of Bonebridge implantation to the older children in terms of their auditory performance under various acoustic conditions. ConclusionsAt a one-year follow up the Bonebridge system was found to be a safe, efficient, and effective tool for compensating for conductive or mixed hearing loss in older children and adolescents. For good anatomical conditions the Bonebridge implant provides a safe alternative to other popular bone conduction systems.