ABSTRACT
Objective: The virus called SARS-CoV-2, which is known as the first epidemic of the twenty-first century, is known to affect the central and peripheral nervous system. In the literature, complaints of sudden hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo have been reported in the patients. The aim of this study is to objectively reveal the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 on the efferent auditory system. Methods: Twenty-three participants, who had the coronavirus disease 2019, were included in the study group, while 20 healthy participants were included in the control group. The test of transient otoacoustic emissions with contralateral suppression was applied to individuals who had normal audiological and immitansmetric evaluations findings. Results: In audiological evaluation, a significant difference was observed between the groups in the 125–500 Hz low frequency range and 4 kHz–12.5 kHz high frequency range. In the test of TEOAE and TEOAE with contralateral suppression, a significant difference was observed between the groups at 4 kHz. Conclusion: The effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 on the peripheral hearing system has been shown. Its effect on the efferent hearing system in the high frequency region has been revealed. © 2022, The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate different auditory regions with audiological tests, based on the presumption that there may be damage to the structures in the hearing system after coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: Twenty individuals with no history of coronavirus disease 2019 and 27 individuals diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 were compared. Pure tone, speech and extended high-frequency audiometry, acoustic immitansmetry, transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions testing, and auditory brainstem response testing were conducted. RESULTS: The pure tone audiometry and extended high-frequency mean threshold values were higher in the coronavirus disease 2019 group. The transient evoked otoacoustic emissions signal-to-noise ratios were bilaterally lower at 4 kHz in individuals with a coronavirus disease 2019 history. In the auditory brainstem response test, only the interpeak latencies of waves III-V were significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: Coronavirus disease 2019 may cause damage to the hearing system. Patients should be followed up in the long term with advanced audiological evaluation methods in order to determine the extent and level of damage.