ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is the new version of the old coronavirus known since 1960, which caused the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) in 2012 and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. Symptoms included fever and cough, diarrhea and vomiting, and neurological symptoms like anosmia. Method(s): One hundred twenty-eight patients diagnosed as COVID-19 with audio-vestibular complaints were subjected to audio-vestibular assessment and were included in the study. Result(s): In our study on COVID-19 patients who reported audio-vestibular complaints, hearing loss was found in 43.8% of patients in comparison to vertigo that represented 40.6% of cases. The most common type was sensorineural hearing loss representing 29.7% of patients and which was unilateral and sudden in 35.7% of them. Less commonly conductive hearing loss (CHL) was found in 14.1% of cases the most common form was bilateral mild to moderate CHL (83.3%) due to bilateral middle ear effusion. Among cases with vertigo, the most common etiology was benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) (42.5%) then uncompensated vestibular neuritis (VN) (31.5%), and lastly, combined BPPV with VN (25%) of cases. Less frequently we found tinnitus in (13.3%) which was bilateral in (64.7%), labyrinthitis (5.5%), and acute VN 5.5%). The significant increase in the number of audiovestibular complaining cases that were observed in the course of the recurrent waves' peaks pushed us to study the relationship between the pandemic and the audiovestibular system. The effect of COVID on AV systems is well noticed and management would be mandatory.Copyright © 2022, The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate hearing in noise ability for post COVID-19 patients using the Complete Intelligibility Spatiality Quality (CISQ) questionnaire and Arabic Version of Hearing in Noise Test (HINT). Patients and Methods: Thirty subjects diagnosed by PCR as covid-19 virus positive were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 20 to 53 years. All participates were subjected to full audiological history, basic audiological evaluation including, complete intelligibility spatiality quality questionnaire (Arabic CISQ) and Hearing in Noise Test (HINT). Results: HINT results, revealed a strong statistically significant difference when compared to normal in all Noise conditions. As regards Complete Intelligibility Spatiality Quality questionnaire (Arabic CISQ), the results were highly statistically significant in averseness, background noise intelligibility and spatiality subscales. Conclusion: Post covid-19 infection, many subjects have a difficulty in speech discrimination in noise and also have difficulty in hearing specific loud sound. Further research in central auditory processing abilities post COVID-19 is recommended. © 2023, Egyptian Society of Ear Nose Throat and Allied Sciences. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: To assess the effect of the anxiety associated with COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of patients with chronic tinnitus. Patients and Methods: Study assessed the effect of the anxiety associated with COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of 68 patients with chronic tinnitus and normal hearing, utilizing the Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scales with a comparison of their scores that were collected retrospectively from their database before the COVID-19 pandemic and their scores that were collected electronically during the pandemic. Results: The Hamilton Anxiety scale and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scale scores showed significantly higher scores during COVID-19 pandemic in comparison to their scores before it. Conclusion: Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may result in increasing the anxiety and stress in patients with chronic tinnitus with subsequent worsening of their quality of life, which shed light on the importance of psychiatric consultation for the affected patients. © 2021, Egyptian Society of Ear Nose Throat and Allied Sciences. All rights reserved.