Audiological assessment of patients with chronic liver disease

ABSTRACT

Pure tone audiometry tone decay [Carharts test] and typanometry using an automatic impedance audiometer were done for 40 patients with chronic liver disease and 20 control subjects. Patients with chronic liver disease showed a higher hearing loss of 15.25 +/- 7.32 dB and 15.46 +/- 7.22 dB for the right and left ears respectively compared to the control group [2.0 +/- 2.58 dB and 3.0 +/- 2.08 respectively]. This hearing loss was more marked with higher frequencies of 4000 and 8000 Hz. The hearing loss in chronic liver disease patients correlated positively with the duration of the disease [r = + 0.92] and the level of serum bilirubin [r = + 0.94]. It is concluded that adult patients with chronic liver disease are prone to develop hearing disability and audiometry for these patients is an integral part of the clinical assessment reflecting the severity of the disease