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. 2022 Jan-Feb;43(1):103241.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2021.103241. Epub 2021 Sep 16.

Sudden hearing loss and vestibular disorders during and before COVID-19 pandemic: An audiology tertiary referral centre experience

Daniela Parrino  1 , Andrea Frosolini  1 , Daniele Toninato  1 , Alessandro Matarazzo  1 , Gino Marioni  2 , Cosimo de Filippis  1
Affiliations

Sudden hearing loss and vestibular disorders during and before COVID-19 pandemic: An audiology tertiary referral centre experience

Daniela Parrino et al. Am J Otolaryngol. 2022 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic a reduction in the diagnosis of many otorhinolaryngological and audiological disorders has been widely reported. The main aim of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on the incidence of acute hearing and vestibular disorders.

Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients evaluated in an audiology tertiary referral centre for acute cochleo-vestibular impairment between March 1st 2020 and February 28th 2021 (Pandemic Year Period, PYP). Results were compared to patients presenting with the same disorders during two previous periods (March 1st 2019 to February 29th 2020 and March 1st 2018 to February 28th 2019; First Precedent Year Period, FPYP and Second Precedent Year Period, SPYP, respectively).

Results: The annual incidence of total acute audio-vestibular disorders (number of annual diagnoses divided by total number of annual audiological evaluations) was 1.52% during the PYP, 1.31% in FPYP and 1.20% in SPYP. Comparison between the pandemic period and previous periods did not show a significant difference (p > 0.05). The overall incidence of SSNHL and combined acute cochlear-vestibular involvement was significantly higher during the PYP compared to the previous periods (p = 0.022).

Conclusions: There were no differences in the absolute number of acute audio-vestibular disorders during the pandemic compared to previous periods. Although not significant, the SSNHL during the pandemic appeared worse in terms of pure-tone average with a higher incidence of associated vestibular involvement. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of SARS-CoV-2 on audio-vestibular disorders incidence and pathophysiology.

Keywords: COVID-19; Inner ear; SARS-CoV-2; Sudden sensorineural hearing loss; Vestibular impairment.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number of case presentations represented by quarter in all three periods. SSNHL Sudden sensorineural hearing loss; PYP Pandemic Year Period; FPYP First Precedent Year Period; SPYP Second Precedent Year Period.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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