Related Hearing Loss Research Articles

The excess risk of noise-induced hearing loss numerical assessment scale

Relevance. In the new edition of the Labor Code (as amended on 02.25.2022), risk-oriented approaches to management in the field of labor protection are fixed, which necessitated the revision of regulatory and methodological documents, including in the field of occupational medicine based on the methodology for assessing occupational risk to workers' health.
 The study aims to substantiate and develop a numerical scale for assessing the group attributive risk of hearing loss from exposure to industrial noise.
 Materials and methods. The authors have carried out an expert-analytical study of materials on qualitative and quantitative a priori and a posteriori assessment of occupational risk.
 Results. The scientists have confirmed the advantage of attributive risk over other indicators for assessing the risk of hearing loss from noise. The numerical scale of the assessment of the attributive risk of hearing loss in relation to the risk-oriented hygienic classification of working conditions and the assessment of the relationship of hearing impairment from noise with work, depending on the magnitude of the attributive risk and etiological proportion, is substantiated. We have justified the categorization of the attributive risk of hearing.
 Limitations. Features of the model for assessing hearing loss due to noise exposure according to GOST R ISO 1999:2017.
 Conclusion. The development of a quantitative scale for assessing the attributive risk of hearing loss not only harmonizes the hygienic assessment of the noise risk factor with international practice, but also contributes to the development of the methodology for assessing and managing occupational risk.
 Keywords: risk assessment; quantitative assessment scale of the attributive risk of hearing loss from noise; categorization of occupational attributive risk; risk-oriented hygienic criteria and classification of working conditions; the rule of "equal energy"; connection of health disorders with work
 Ethics. In preparing the article, the authors were guided by the Ethical principles of medical research set out in the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association of the last revision.

Auditory perception in adult hearing aid users with and without auditory training - A comparative study

Background: Individuals with sensorineural hearing loss can regain some lost auditory function with the help of hearing aids, but it may be insufficient under non – optimal condition. Future research aspect lies in processing strategy and training to enhance effects of auditory training and rehabilitation of patients using hearing aids. So research is done to supplement the rehabilitation process with patient centric education, counseling and auditory training to help the listener compensate for loss of auditory signal and improve communication. Whether age-related hearing loss can be decreased by auditory training along with hearing aid is to be researched as it is not clear from previous scientific works whether the outcome is significantly better than those with hearing aid who have not received training. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the role of auditory training for improvement of auditory perception in aged patients with age-related sensorineural hearing loss using binaural hearing aid. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in Otorhinolaryngology department of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Burdwan, a rural based tertiary care hospital in Burdwan for 2 months from June 2022 to July 2022 and 50 aged patients with audiologically proven age related sensorineural hearing loss using hearing aid were included in this study after through history taking and meticulous clinical examination after getting institutional ethics committee clearance. Patients were divided in two groups, 25 in experimental group (with auditory training) and 25 in control group (without auditory training) and result was analyzed. Results: Formal auditory training was able to improve the central auditory skills of hearing aid users. Improvement was noted in an objective neurophysiologic correlate and perceived by patients, as revealed in a self-assessment questionnaire. Conclusion: Formal auditory training in adult hearing aid users promotes: Improvement in auditory skills for sound localization, memory for nonverbal sounds in sequence, auditory closure, and figure-to-ground for verbal sounds. Greater benefits with hearing aids in reverberant and noisy environments.

The Effect of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus on Hearing of Neonates in a Tertiary Healthcare Centre.

Congenital hearing loss is hearing loss present in a child at birth or soon after birth. It is a debilitating condition with the potential for lifelong disability. It is thought to be multifactorial in aetiology with both genetic (autosomal and X-linked) and acquired causes (such as maternal infections, drug intake, trauma). Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a relatively common condition found in pregnant females but is a rather understudied risk factor in terms of congenital hearing loss. GDM is easily treatable which makes the hearing loss due to it easily preventable. (1) Determine correlation between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and congenital hearing loss in neonates. (2) Calculate the prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus related congenital hearing loss. A two-step screening process was used for hearing evaluation of neonates with normal mothers (non-exposed) and neonates with mothers suffering from GDM (exposed) through Otoacoustic emission (OAE) and Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA). (1) The difference of neonates diagnosed with hearing impairment in exposed and non-exposed group was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.024. OR 2.1538 95% CI 0.6120-7.5796, p < 0.05. (2) Prevalence of hearing loss in neonates of GDM mothers: 13.3%. Through rigorous exclusion of the already known risk factors for congenital hearing loss, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus has been isolated as an independent risk factor for neonatal hearing impairment. We hope to identify additional cases of congenital hearing loss early leading to a decrease in disease burden.

Does the Location of a Small Tympanic Membrane Perforation Affect the Degree of Hearing Loss in Adult Patients with Inactive Mucosal Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media?

Tympanic membrane perforation due to inactive mucosal chronic suppurative otitis media is a common problem in otolaryngology, with consequent conductive hearing loss. Still, there is controversy about the relationship between the location of the tympanic membrane perforation and the degree of hearing impairment. To assess the correlation between the location of a small tympanic membrane perforation and the degree of conductive hearing loss in adult patients with inactive mucosal chronic suppurative otitis media. A prospective cross-sectional study enrolled 74 adult patients with small tympanic membrane perforations (perforation involves less than one quadrant of the tympanic membrane) and conductive hearing loss (airbone gap ≥ 20 dB HL) due to inactive mucosal chronic suppurative otitis media for at least 3 months. The locations of the tympanic membrane perforations were classified as anterosuperior, anteroinferior, posterosuperior, and poster inferior perforations. Audiometric analysis and a CT scan of the temporal bone were done for all patients. The means of the air and bone conduction pure tone hearing threshold averages at frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz were calculated, and consequently, the air-bone gaps were calculated and presented as means. The ANOVA test was used to compare the means of the air-bone gaps, and the Scheffe test was used to determine if there were statistically significant differences regarding the degree of conductive hearing loss in relation to different locations of the tympanic membrane perforation. The ages of the patients ranged from 20 to 43 years (mean = 31.9 ± 6.5 years), of whom 43 (58%) were females and 31 (42%) were males. The means of the air-bone gaps were 32.29 ± 5.41 dB HL, 31.34 ± 4.12 dB HL, 29.87 ± 3.48 dB HL, and 29.30 ± 4.60 dB HL in the posteroinferior, posterosuperior, anteroinferior, and anterosuperior perforations, respectively. Although the air-bone gap's mean was greater in the posteroinferior perforation, statistical analysis showed that it was insignificant (P-value=0.168). In adult patients with inactive chronic suppurative otitis media, the anteroinferior quadrant is the most common location of the tympanic membrane perforation, and there was an insignificant correlation between the location of a small tympanic membrane perforation and the degree of conductive hearing loss.

Expectativa de vida com perda auditiva: estimativas para o Brasil

ABSTRACT Purpose to analyze the prevalence of self-reported hearing loss in relation to age, gender and regions of Brazil and to estimate life expectancy with hearing loss in Brazil, at birth and at age 60, for both sexes. Methods the Sullivan method was used, combining the life table and the prevalence of hearing loss in the period, as well as the adoption of data from the 2013 National Health Survey and Complete Life Tables, by sex, published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Results in Brazil, in 2013, the prevalence of hearing loss gradually increased from the age of 60, in both genders, with males being more affected by hearing loss. Life expectancy at birth was 71.2 years for men and 78.5 years for women. Of these years of life, 3.4% (for men) and 2.8% (for women) were with hearing loss. At age 60, this difference remains, with an expectation of another 19.9 years for men and 21.7 years for women. In this age group, men had a rate of 2.2 years (11.3%) with hearing loss, while for women the rate was 2.1 years (9.7%). Conclusion in Brazil, based on data from 2013, there was a gradual increase in the prevalence of hearing loss from the age of 60 for both genders. Women had higher life expectancy, greater life expectancy free of hearing loss and live a smaller portion of their lives with hearing loss than men, regardless of age. The assessment of life expectancy with hearing loss at birth and at age 60 can help to understand the needs of the population, which allows for better planning of public policies related to the hearing health of individuals.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus screening in newborns: Current status in the United States

Targeted hearing screening for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) with CMV polymerase chain reaction testing completed before 3 weeks of age for infants who fail newborn hearing screening is a reasonable option to improve cCMV related non-genetic sensory-neural hearing loss (SNHL). Universal cCMV screening using dried blood spots that is used on almost newborn infants has the potential to benefit those children at risk for SNHL and will be a great public health option.

Comparison of Cognition between Elderly with Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Normal Hearing for Age

Introduction: Age related hearing loss starts at mid to late adulthood. With ageing, cognitive ability also declines. The aims of this study were to assess, compare and correlate cognition of elderly people having bilateral moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss with the population of normal hearing for age. Methods: This observational analytical study included 25 elderly participants between 55 to 75 years of age in each group; Hearing loss Group with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss and Normal hearing Group with normal hearing. Based on pure tone audiometry, hearing loss was classified into moderate (41-60 dB), severe (61-80 dB) and profound (81 and above). Cognition status was assessed using a Nepali version of Mini-mental state examination and classified into no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment and severe cognitive impairment. Comparison and correlation of the cognitive impairment was done between the groups. Results: In Hearing loss Group, 8 (32%) participants and in Normal Hearing Group, 3 (12%) participants had mild cognitive impairment. Means of total Mini-mental state examination scores between the two groups had statistically significant difference (p=0.02) but no significant correlation (Kendall tau b =0.20) between age related hearing loss and cognitive impairment was found. Conclusion: Though cognitive impairment was found more in participants with age related hearing loss, there was no correlation between age related hearing loss and cognitive impairment.

Mutation-agnostic RNA interference with engineered replacement rescues Tmc1-related hearing loss.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit, of which genetic etiologies are a frequent cause. Dominant and recessive mutations in TMC1, a gene encoding the pore-forming subunit of the hair cell mechanotransduction channel, cause DFNA36 and DFNB7/11, respectively, accounting for ∼2% of genetic hearing loss. Previous work has established the efficacy of mutation-targeted RNAi in treatment of murine models of autosomal dominant non-syndromic deafness. However, application of such approaches is limited by the infeasibility of development and validation of novel constructs for each variant. We developed an allele-non-specific approach consisting of mutation-agnostic RNAi suppression of both mutant and WT alleles, co-delivered with a knockdown-resistant engineered WT allele with or without the use of woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element (WPRE) to augment transgene expression. This therapeutic construct was delivered into the mature murine model of DFNA36 with an AAV vector and achieved robust hair cell and auditory brainstem response preservation. However, WPRE-enhanced Tmc1 expression resulted in inferior outcomes, suggesting a role for gene dosage optimization in future TMC1 gene therapy development.

Prevalence of hearing loss among newly diagnosed highly active antiretroviral therapy (Haart) naive adult patients in port harcourt.

Numerous studies have reported a relationship between human immune deficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS) and auditory functions. There is a dearth of information on the prevalence of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naïve adult patients. Aim: This study therefore provides baseline information on the prevalence of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naïve adult patients in Port Harcourt and serves as a reference for the role of HAART in HIV related hearing loss and for future studies. This is a prospective cross-sectional study involving 260 participants; 130 newly diagnosed and 130 HIV-negative controls aged 18 to 50 years from two centers in Port Harcourt from July, 2018 to January, 2019. Participants were clerked and diagnostic pure tone audiometry was done. The rate of hearing loss was observed with Pure Tone Audiometry to be higher (P-value = 0.001) among newly diagnosed HAART naive adult patients 37 (28.5%) in comparison to the control 8 (6.2%). The mean age of all the study participants was 31.80 ± 9.61 years (study group 32.18 ± 10.18 years, control group 31.42 ± 9.12 years). Gender characteristic of participants also showed that males were 46 (35.4%) and females 84 (64.6%) giving a male, female ratio of 1:1.83 among newly diagnosed HAART naive adults, while among the control group there were males 49 (37.7%) and female 81 (62.3%) giving male: female ratio of 1:1.65. The rate of hearing loss at baseline was significantly (P = 0.001) higher among 37 HIV-positive HAART naïve patients (28.5%) compared with 8 control patients (6.2%). There was significant proportion of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naive adult patients in Port Harcourt.

The influence of tympanic membrane perforation site on the hearing level of conductive hearing loss in chronic suppurative otitis media

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is an infection of the middle ear cavity both partially and totally. It is characterized by ear discharge through a tympanic membrane perforation for over a period of 2 to 6 weeks. Hearing loss is the most common complication of CSOM. One of the degrees of hearing loss in tympanic membrane perforation is depending on the site of perforation, but this premise is still debatable because of pros and contras by some researchers. This study aimed to assess the degree of hearing loss in relation to the site of tympanic membrane perforation. A cross-sectional prospective study design was performed involving 43 patients of safe type CSOM who came to the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery from the period January 2016 to November 2018. All subjects were divided into 4 groups based on the site of perforation. There was a perforation in the posteroinferior, the posterosuperior, the anteroinferior, and the anterosuperior. A statistical analysis using Anova along with multivariate analysis was conducted. Our result showed that the most common site of tympanic membrane perforation was at the anteroinferior (30 samples, 59.8%). The highest hearing threshold was seen at posteroinferior with a mean hearing level of 37.7±2.0 dB, anteroinferior with a mean hearing level of 31.7±0.7 dB, anterosuperior with a mean hearing level 30.7±1.4 dB, and posterosuperior mean hearing level 28.9±1.5 dB. The difference was found significant with p=0.004. Posteroinferior tympanic membrane perforation had a higher number of hearing loss compared to the other sites. In conclusion, the tympanic membrane perforation site has an important role in the hearing level of conductive hearing loss in CSOM.

Impact of statin type and intensity on cisplatin-related hearing loss.

192 Background: Ototoxicity is a common and treatment-limiting side effect of cisplatin. Rates of permanent hearing loss due to cisplatin treatment range from 40 to 80% and are associated with considerable morbidity and negative impact on quality of life. Currently, there are no FDA-approved therapies for preventing hearing loss caused by cisplatin. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are of interest due to putative pleiotropic effects, decreasing inflammation and oxidative stress. Some preclinical and retrospective studies have shown reduction in cisplatin-related hearing loss with concurrent administration of statins. Objectives: This study's primary objective was to evaluate the impact of statin use on cisplatin-related hearing loss rates measured by change in Chang Grade (CG). Chang criteria was chosen as it allows for evaluation of hearing loss severity without the need for word recognition. This study also assessed the effect of statin dose intensity, cisplatin dose, and concurrent use of ototoxins on cisplatin-induced hearing loss. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of adult patients who received cisplatin within a single health care network between March 2010 and December 2020. Patients were included in this IRB-approved analysis if they had baseline and follow-up audiograms prior to and after cisplatin treatment. Each patient had data collected on primary cancer location, cumulative cisplatin dose, chemotherapy regimen, concurrent radiation treatment to the head and neck area, and ototoxin use. In addition, data on the type of statin used, its dose intensity were collected when applicable. Multivariable analysis of change in CG (primary outcome) was performed using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations. Results: A total of 367 patients were included in this study, of which 87 were using statins and 280 were not using statins concurrently during cisplatin treatment. Median age of study population was 63 and there was a male predominance (67%). Change in CG did not differ between statin users and non-statin users (p = 0.36). In the multivariable analysis, adjusting for statin use and age, hearing loss was predicted by cisplatin dose (OR 1.19 per 100mg; 1.09-1.30; p &lt; 0.001) and use of radiation therapy (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.34-3.10, p &lt; 0.001). Statin intensity did not have a significant effect on the change in CG when evaluating low-intensity (p = 0.34), moderate intensity (p = 0.77) or high-intensity (p = 0.44) compared to no statin use. Type of statin use and concurrent use of ototoxins also did not have a significant impact on the changes in CG. Conclusions: To our knowledge this is one of the largest retrospective analyses of statin’s impact on cisplatin related hearing loss. Our study found no difference in changes in CG hearing loss between statin users vs non-statin users. As expected, total cisplatin dose (mg) and concurrent radiation treatment remain important predictors of hearing loss.

Potential therapeutic role of SIRT1 in age- related hearing loss.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major public health burden worldwide that profoundly affects the daily life of elderly people. Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1 or Sirtuin1), known as a regulator of the cell cycle, the balance of oxidation/antioxidant and mitochondrial function, has been proven to have anti-aging and life-extending effects, and its possible connection with ARHL has received increasing attention in recent years. This paper provides an overview of research on the connection between SIRT1 and ARHL. Topics cover both the functions of SIRT1 and its important role in ARHL. This review concludes with a look at possible research directions for ARHL in the future.

Expanding the phenotypic spectrum in ESRRB related sensorineural hearing loss: Evidence provided via detecting novel nonsense mutation in an Egyptian family

Autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) is very heterogeneous at the molecular level with ˃75 genes being involved. In this study, whole exome sequencing (WES) was applied to investigate the molecular defect in an Egyptian male child with sensorineural hearing loss. The patient also exhibited mild neurological and overt orodental abnormalities. Novel nonsense mutation (p.Arg187*) in the ESRRB gene has been detected resulting in early protein truncation. ESRRB gene is coding for a transcription factor involved in the development of the inner ear. About two decades ago, ESRRB gene mutations were defined as a relatively rare cause of non-syndromic hearing loss. This case represented the first Egyptian patient to be reported with a genetic variation in the ESRRB gene extending the clinical phenotype related to ESRRB variants. Further information about gene expression pattern and molecular pathways as well as possible interplay between the manifested neurological symptoms would support the role of ESRRB gene in development of the patient's phenotypic presentation. On the other hand, this study provided an example for the favorable output of comprehensive molecular screening approaches in expanding the phenotypic spectrum of previously described genes.

Hearing Loss After Cisplatin-based Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: A Prospective Single-institution Study.

A single-institution prospective study was conducted to evaluate hearing loss rate after intensity modulated radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CRT) for locally advanced head and neck cancer and identify cochlear dosimetric parameters associated with hearing loss risk. Hearing assessment, patients' characteristics, tumor-related variables, and cochlear quantitative dosimetric factors for adults with locally advanced head and neck cancer treated with CRT were prospectively collected. Each patient repeated audiometry at baseline (pre-CRT), 1 month after CRT, and then every 3 to 6 months. For each cochlea minimum dose (Dmin), mean dose (Dmean), and maximum dose (Dmax) were extracted from treatment plans. Logistic analysis was used for multivariate modeling. The relation between cochlear dosimetric factors and significant hearing loss was also analyzed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Between January 2016 and December 2018, 35 patients (70 cochleae) were included. Most patients (n=29; 82.9%) had primary cancer in a low-risk region (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx). All patients completed the programmed CRT. During follow-up, significant hearing loss was recorded in 13 cases (37.1%). The ROC areas for significant hearing loss in relation to Dmin, Dmean, and Dmax were 0.70, 0.66, and 0.66, respectively. A dose-dependent relationship was noted between cochlear Dmin and significant hearing loss. Dmin <14.4 Gy is associated with reduced rates of significant hearing loss after concomitant cisplatin-based CRT in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Efficacy of Cochlear Implantation in Neurofibromatosis Type 2 Related Hearing Loss.

To investigate the results of cochlear implantation in subjects with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS). Retrospective case series. University-based tertiary referral center. Five subjects with NF2 and severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. Cochlear implantation. Surgical outcomes and audiometric performance after cochlear implantation. Five subjects (3 female, 2 male) were included in the study. The mean age at the time of implantation was 54 years old (range 35-78 years). Follow-up after cochlear implantation averaged 38 months (range 21-106 months). In the 5 implanted ears, 2 had no prior treatment, 1 had undergone prior radiation therapy, 1 underwent prior microsurgical removal, and 1 underwent prior microsurgical removal with adjuvant radiation therapy. The mean ipsilateral VS dimensions at time of implantation were 14 mm × 7.2 mm × 6.1 mm (mediolateral × anteroposterior × craniocaudal). Following cochlear implant activation, all 5 subjects achieved sound awareness, open set speech recognition, and 4 continue to be daily users of the devices. Cochlear implantation is a viable hearing rehabilitation option for subjects with NF2 and severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. All subjects reported benefit with their cochlear implant, including open set speech recognition, enhanced lip-reading skills and environmental awareness of sound. Four subjects continued to demonstrate improved open-set speech recognition at the time of their last evaluations.

Audiometric Findings in Patients with Age Related Hearing Loss

Aim: To determine the audiometric findings, prevalence of age related hearing loss and association of hearing loss with gender in patients of 60 years and above. Setting and duration of study: This study was conducted in the Department of ENT at Shifa Foundation Community Health Centre (SFCHC), Shifa International hospital, Islamabad, over a period of 5 years from September 2014 to September 2019. Methods: A total of 149 patients were included in the study. All the patients were subjected to audiometry after taking informed written consent. Information regarding the past medical history of all participants regarding ear and hearing disorders and risk factors was taken and recorded. All this information along with demographic information was recorded. Results: The mean age of the participants was 70.72 ± 7.09 years. Most 46 (30.9%) of the patients were between 60 to 65 years old. The proportion of male participants 76 (51%) was slightly higher. In our study sample, 142 (95.3%) of the participants had high-frequency hearing loss, and 129 (86.6%) participants had low-frequency hearing loss. Mostly 62 (41.6%) participants had sloping curve. Most 125 (83.9%) participants were diagnosed with both types of hearing loss. Among male patients flat curve showed a significant (P-value &lt; 0.05) relationship with age and in female patients, flat curve and neither flat curve nor sloping curve showed significant (P-value &lt; 0.05) association with different age brackets. Conclusion: High-frequency hearing loss was the most common type of hearing loss among older patients. Majority of the patients were diagnosed with both types of hearing loss. High-frequency hearing loss was found to be significantly associated with different age brackets. Keywords: Hearing loss, Audiometric findings, High Frequency Hearing Loss,

Assessing the clinical utility of volumetric HRCT in pediatric enlarged vestibular aqueduct related hearing loss

Objectives|The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of volumetric HRCT measurements in the diagnosis of enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome (EVAS) and describe the association of this novel radiographic approach with clinical hearing outcomes. We hypothesized that volumetric measurements may have stronger correlation to hearing loss given the anatomic variability of the vestibular aqueduct in linear measurements. MethodsA retrospective study design was used, including 51 patients that fit the inclusion criteria for the study for a total of 81 ears. 3D volumes were calculated using the MIM Software platform (MIM Software Inc.) from semiautomatic segmentation of the VA across individual slices on CT scan. Air and bone conduction data was collected from medical records with the air-bone gap being calculated from these data. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine if volumetric VA size correlated with hearing loss outcomes. ResultsOut of the study population, 30 subjects (58.8%) demonstrated bilateral EVA. Average VA size estimated by volumetric CT methodology was 0.035 mm3; sd = 0.025 mm3. Volumetric measurements significantly correlated to both midpoint length and operculum size. Multivariate analysis adjusting for age, race, and gender demonstrated significant correlation between volumetric VA size and both low and high frequencies for PTA Air (p = 0.009; 0.010) and PTA Bone (p = 0.027; 0.002), respectively. Of note, the coefficient values for volumetric data were higher than linear measurements showing a potentially stronger correlation, albeit with high variability. Volumetric size was not significantly correlated to air-bone gap at either low or high frequency (p = 0.335; 0.062). ConclusionOur results indicate that volumetric CT measurements of the VA may be a valid and viable new method for assessing EVAS patients. In our study, volumetric VA measurements demonstrated a strong correlation across both air and bone conduction at both frequency ranges measured, with potentially greater correlative strength than linear measurements.

Biallelic p.V37I variant in GJB2 is associated with increasing incidence of hearing loss with age

PurposeThis study aimed to quantitatively assess the incidence of hearing loss in relation to age in individuals with biallelic p.V37I variant in GJB2. MethodsPopulation screening of the biallelic p.V37I variant was performed in 30,122 individuals aged between 0 and 97 years in Shanghai. Hearing thresholds of the biallelic p.V37I individuals and the controls were determined by click auditory brainstem response or pure tone audiometry. ResultsBiallelic p.V37I was detected in 0.528% (159/30,122) of the subjects. Of the biallelic p.V37I newborns, 43.91% (18/41) passed their distortion-product otoacoustic emissions–based newborn hearing screening or had hearing thresholds lower than 20 decible above normal hearing level. The older newborns had elevated hearing thresholds, with increasing incidence of 9.52%, 23.08%, 59.38%, and 80.00% for moderate or higher grade of hearing loss in age groups of 7 to 15 years, 20 to 40 years, 40 to 60 years, and 60 to 85 years, respectively. Their hearing deteriorated at a rate of 0.40 dB hearing level per year on average; males were more susceptible, and deterioration occurred preferentially at higher sound frequencies. ConclusionThe biallelic p.V37I variant is associated with steadily progressive hearing loss with increasing incidence over the course of life. Most of the biallelic p.V37I individuals may develop significant hearing loss in adulthood and, can benefit from early diagnosis and intervention through wide-spread genetic screening.

Hearing Loss in Lassa Fever: A Systematic Review

Background: Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever associated with several complications which include hearing loss. Hearing loss in Lassa fever may become residual with its negative impact on the quality of life. Purpose: This paper is a review of various studies on Lassa fever related hearing loss. Methods: Systematic literature review was done on articles on Lassa fever patients and Lassa fever survivors. Relevant articles published in English between 1969 and 2021 were searched for using Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Eight studies which met the inclusion criteria were finally selected and included in the review. The variables of interest were extracted from the full-text articles. Results: Lassa fever related hearing loss occurs in both sexes and in all age groups. The incidence of self-reported hearing loss ranged from 12.5% to 30% with a mean of 17.6%. The incidence of audiometrically determined sensorineural hearing loss ranged from 13.5% to 29% with a mean of 22.1%. Hearing loss persisted in 64% of those that were followed up. Cases of hearing loss varied in severity, ranging from mild to profound. No successful specific treatment for Lassa fever related hearing loss was reported apart from hearing rehabilitation. Conclusion: Hearing loss among Lassa fever patients remains a major challenge. Lack of effective treatment for Lassa fever related hearing loss is a serious gap in the management of Lassa fever patients which should be addressed in future research.

Study of ossicular chain defects in patients with chronic otitis media

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Chronic otitis media (COM) is a long-standing disease of middle ear cleft and mastoid cavity having a permanent perforation in the tympanic membrane with or without discharge. It’s a worldwide health problem and it is still predominant in the modern antibiotic era. Aim&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;was to determine the prevalence and types of ossicular chain defect in mucosal and squamosal type of COM. Also, to evaluate the hearing loss in relation to ossicular chain defect.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods:&lt;/strong&gt; The study was prospective observational study conducted in Bhopal over the duration of one year (January 2019 to June 2020). Patient aged 11-70 years reporting with COM were included in the study. Details regarding sociodemographic profile and extensive examination were recorded. Data was entered into MS excel 2007, analysis was done.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; It was more prevalent in the age groups of 21-30years (39%) with female (53%) preponderance. Right sided ear was commonly involved (58%). Majority of the patients had tubo-tympanic disease (62%) whereas 38% had attico-antral disease. Ossicular chain was found intact in 33% cases. Average hearing loss was maximum (67.6 dBHL) when all ossicles are eroded. Hearing loss was minimum (33.6 dBHL) with isolated handle of malleus involvement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/strong&gt; COM is one of the commonest causes of preventable hearing impairment in our society, hence early diagnosis and timely intervention is needed. Awareness among patients and doctors regarding the need for better ear hygiene is necessary.&lt;/p&gt;