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. 2017 Jul 26;12(7):e0181907.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181907. eCollection 2017.

The potential dysfunction of otolith organs in patients after mumps infection

Yu-Juan Zhou  1   2   3 , Jing Yu  1   2   3 , Yong-Zhen Wu  1   2   3 , Liang Tian  1   2   3 , Zhao Han  1   2   3 , Jing Wang  1   2   3 , Fang-Lu Chi  1   2   3
Affiliations

The potential dysfunction of otolith organs in patients after mumps infection

Yu-Juan Zhou et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between mumps and the extent of hearing impairment and otolith organ damage.

Methods: A total of 27 patients with unilateral hearing impairment following mumps were enrolled. The degrees of hearing loss and otolith organ damage were confirmed by audiometric and vestibular evoked myogenic potential [VEMP] tests. All the results were compared and analyzed using Stata 13.0 software for Windows.

Results: The VEMP thresholds of the affected ears were significantly higher than those of the unaffected ears in both tests (cervical VEMP [cVEMP] test and ocular VEMP [oVEMP] test; p = 0.000 and 0.001, respectively). The mean cVEMP and oVEMP threshold values of the affected ears with hearing impairment for ≤10 years were significantly lower than those of affected ears with hearing impairment for >10 years [p = 0.009 and 0.004, respectively].

Conclusions: Deafness resulting from mumps is usually profound and permanent, which indicates severe damage to the cochlea due to the disease. The functions of otolith organs in the vestibular system are also impaired. Over time, the function of the otolith organs or their neural pathway may suffer secondary damage.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Differences in mean threshold values between the unaffected and affected ears of patients with unilateral hearing impairment after mumps.
The columns of the histograms represent the mean values of thresholds and the standard error bars are marked in the histograms. **p < 0.01. cVEMP, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential; oVEMP, ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Comparison of mean threshold values of VEMPs between patients with hearing impairment for ≤ 10 years and those with hearing impairment for > 10 years.
The columns of the histograms represent the mean values of thresholds and the standard error bars are marked in the histograms. (A)The mean threshold values of cVEMP. (B)The mean threshold values of oVEMP. **p < 0.01. cVEMP, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential; oVEMP, ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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