Short Term Follow-Up Result of Unilateral Hearing Loss Referred Patient by Newborn Hearing Screening / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hearing screening is mandatory for newborns. The management of patients who fail hearing screening is important. This study examined the prognosis of patients who had hearing loss detected on the newborn hearing screening. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The results of newborn hearing tests, follow-up hearing tests, and risk factors for hearing loss were analyzed retrospectively in prospectively collected data. Newborn hearing screening testing using an auto auditory brain stem (ABR) response was performed for 1296 newborns from January 2010 to December 2012 at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital. Follow-up hearing tests using ABR and otoacoustic emissions were performed 6 and 12 months after the newborn hearing screening. RESULTS: Of the 1296 newborns who underwent hearing screening tests, 63 were referred and 58 had confirmed hearing loss. The hearing loss was unilateral in 74.2% (43/58). During the 1-year follow-up, about half of the patients showed improved hearing function. Premature birth was related to hearing recovery. CONCLUSION: During the follow-up, some patients with unilateral hearing loss showed recovery. Some premature patients can expect hearing recovery during follow-up testing. Regular follow-up after newborn hearing screening is important to detect hearing changes in this period.

Clinical Characteristics of Tinnitus in Elderly / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tinnitus is commonly known to occur in the elderly, while presbytinnitus is not known as well. This study compared the clinical characteristics of tinnitus between the elderly and adults. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This prospective case-control study enrolled 148 patients who had subjective tinnitus. Demographic data, otologic history, tinnitus questionnaires, the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), a visual analogue scale, and audiological examinations were evaluated. RESULTS: The effect of tinnitus on the quality of life and the severity of tinnitus in the elderly were not different from those in adults. The elderly were more annoyed with the tinnitus than adults. The elderly had louder and longer tinnitus. Nevertheless, the elderly had a lower THI score. The effect of tinnitus on the quality of life was not correlated with tinnitus loudness, duration, or hearing threshold. In the elderly, the effect of tinnitus on the quality of life was correlated more with the emotional score of the THI than the other subscales of the THI. CONCLUSION: Tinnitus has a great effect on the quality of life of the elderly. This is related more to psychological factors than to otological factors.

Clinical Usefulness of Viral IgM Antibody Test in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Patient / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are many possible causes of sudden deafness such as viral infection, vascular occlusion, immune-mediated mechanism and abnormal cellular stress response in the cochlea. Viral hypothesis is one of the potential mechanisms for explaining sudden deafness. The aims of this study were to investigate the usefulness of viral IgM antibodies to evaluate the clinical findings and prognosis in sudden sensorineural hearing loss and to identify the more useful viral IgM antibodies. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A retrospective study was carried out for 283 patients with sudden deafness. The results of serologic tests performed for the following were studied: Ebstein barr virus (EBV), Measles, Mumps, Toxoplasma, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Varicella zoster virus, Herpes simplex virus, and human immunodeficiency virus. Results of blood tests and audiologic tests taken initially and 2 months after the onset of sudden deaf were studied as well. RESULTS: Positive ratio of Viral IgM antibodies was 4.9% (13/283). Clincial findings and prognosis of viral IgM positive patients were not different from other sudden deafness patients except for the age factor. EBV Viral capsid antigen, EBV Early antigen-diffuse and restrict complex were common positive viral markers in sudden hearing loss patients. One third of the patients (4/13) had viral markers for Measles, Mumps and Toxoplasma. CONCLUSION: In sudden deafness, the positive ratio of serologic tests for viral IgM antibodies was less than 5% and viral IgM positive patients had similar clinical findings and prognosis to viral IgM negative patients. However, viral origins of Measles, toxoplasam and Mumps as well as EBV should be considered in sudden deafness patients with the symptoms and signs of viral infection.