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. 2021 Jul;16(3):158-164.
doi: 10.1016/j.joto.2021.01.005. Epub 2021 Feb 3.

SARS-CoV-2 and hearing: An audiometric analysis of COVID-19 hospitalized patients

Francisco Alves de Sousa  1 , Rodrigo Pinto Costa  2 , Sandra Xará  3 , Ana Nóbrega Pinto  1 , Cecília Almeida E Sousa  1
Affiliations

SARS-CoV-2 and hearing: An audiometric analysis of COVID-19 hospitalized patients

Francisco Alves de Sousa et al. J Otol. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: COVID-19 associated hearing loss is still an ongoing matter of debate. No original studies exist on audiological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients. The main objective was to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 may affect auditory function in clinically ill COVID-19 patients.

Materials and methods: COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease and without prior history of hearing abnormalities were enrolled from a tertiary referral center, and matched with controls. Participants performed an audiometric evaluation, and thresholds were compared.

Results: 120 ears from 60 patients were enrolled. Patients with COVID-19 showed worse mean auditory thresholds starting from 1000 Hz through higher frequencies, when compared to controls (1000 Hz: 18.52 ± 5.49 dB HL in controls vs 25.36 ± 6.79 dB HL in COVID-19, p < 0.001; 2000Hz: 17.50 ± 5.57 dB HL in controls vs 21.96 ± 7.05 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.010; 3000Hz: 17.97 ± 8.07 dB HL in controls vs 25 ± 9.38 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.003; 4000 Hz: 20.16 ± 10.12 dB HL in controls vs 29.55 ± 11.26 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001; 8000 Hz: 31.09 ± 12.75 dB HL in controls vs 40.71 ± 19.40 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.030; Pure Tone Average: 20.42 ± 4.29 dB HL in controls vs 24.85 ± 5.62 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001). Statistical significance persisted after adjusting for confounders such as age, gender and various comorbidities (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 may affect hearing in COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. Results are in line with the previous suggested effects of COVID-19 on auditory system. This study is expected to encourage further research on this topic.

Keywords: Audiometry; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Hearing; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

This is an independent study. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of patients across age categories for control and test populations.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Pure-tone audiometric thresholds across multiple age groups: COVID-19 vs controls.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Pure-tone audiometric thresholds means for both test and control groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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