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. 2020 Nov 16;35(44):e364.
doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e364.

Renal Syndromic Hearing Loss Is Common in Childhood-onset Chronic Kidney Disease

Ji Hyun Kim  1   2 , Dong Han Lee  3 , Bongjin Lee  4   5 , Seon Hee Lim  6 , Yo Han Ahn  2   6 , Hee Gyung Kang  2   6   7   8 , Il Soo Ha  2   6   7 , Hae Il Cheong  2
Affiliations

Renal Syndromic Hearing Loss Is Common in Childhood-onset Chronic Kidney Disease

Ji Hyun Kim et al. J Korean Med Sci. .

Abstract

Background: Hearing loss (HL) in children may adversely affect their development. HL is more prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) than in the general population. This study evaluated the prevalence of HL and its underlying diseases in patients with childhood-onset in CKD.

Methods: In this retrospective study of a tertiary referral center, childhood-onset CKD patients (stage 2-5, age at onset of renal symptom < 18 years) were recruited. We referred to the "renal" syndromic HL as cases with genetic or syndromic diseases, or extra-renal anomalies in addition to HL and CKD.

Results: A total of 421 patients (male:female = 279:142) were reviewed according to the causes of CKD: congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT; n = 184, 43.7%), glomerulopathies (GP; n = 105, 24.9%), cystic kidney diseases (CYST; n = 39, 9.3%), perinatal problems (PP; n = 29, 6.9%), and others (n = 64, 15.2%). HL was detected in 82 (19.5%) patients, including 51 (12.1%) patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), 30 (7.1%) with conductive hearing loss (CHL), and 1 patient with mixed HL. The prevalence of HL in each group was as follows: 16.8% in the CAKUT group, 28.6% in the GP group, 12.8% in the CYST group, 24.1% in the PP group, and 14.1% in the others group. HL was more common in higher CKD stages, especially CHL in end-stage renal disease. SNHL was more prevalent in CKD from GP. Of the 82 patients with HL, 50% had renal syndromic HL: 58.8% of SNHL and one-third of CHL were renal syndromic HL.

Conclusion: One-fifth of the childhood-onset CKD had HL. Collectively, renal syndromic HL comprised half of the HL in this study. To improve the quality of life in patients with childhood-onset CKD, we suggest that HL should be considered, requiring surveillance, and if necessary, early intervention.

Keywords: Children; Chronic Kidney Disease; Hearing Loss; Syndromic Hearing Loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Prevalence of hearing loss according to disease group. Numbers inside the columns indicate the numbers of patient. Proportion of renal syndromic HL is indicated by hatching.
CAKUT = congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, SNHL = sensorineural hearing loss, CHL = conductive hearing loss, HL = hearing loss.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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