ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: In this clinical study, it was aimed to prospectively evaluate the cochlear nerve with brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) in terms of audiological ailments in patients with COVID-19. Although the relationship of COVID-19 with tinnitus and hearing loss has been investigated since the day this infectious respiratory disease emerged, its relationship with BERA has not been fully demonstrated from a neurological perspective. METHODS: It was carried out on a group of patients who had COVID-19 in the last 6 months between February and August 2021 in Diyarbakir Gazi Yasargil Training and Research Hospital. Patients between the ages of 18-50, who applied to the otorhinolaryngology and neurology clinic and had COVID-19 in the last 6 months, were selected. The COVID-19 group of our study consisted of 30 patients, 18 males and 12 females, who had had COVID-19 disease in the last 6 months, and 30 healthy individuals, 16 males and 14 females, as the control group. RESULTS: In patients with COVID-19, the evaluation of the destruction of the cochlear nerve with BERA showed that there was a statistically significant prolongation in I-III and I-V interpeaks at 70, 80 and 90 db nhl. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant prolongation of especially I-III and I-V Interpeaks in BERA showed that COVID-19 has the potential to cause neuropathy. We believe that the BERA test should be considered in the neurological evaluation of cochlear nerve damage in patients with COVID-19 as a differential diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Audiometry, Evoked Response , COVID-19 , Female , Male , Humans , Infant , Child, Preschool , Cochlear Nerve , Ambulatory Care Facilities , Brain StemABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission risk and the oral hygiene behaviors of patients using removable dentures. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 220 removable dental prosthesis users were included in the study. Among them, 110 users diagnosed with the coronavirus disease were included in the case group and 110 unaffected users were included in the control group. A survey regarding their hygiene, prosthesis removal, and handwashing attitudes was completed by the participants. Measurable variables are presented as mean +/- standard deviation (SD) and categorical variables as numbers and percentage (%). RESULTS: Individuals in the case group had a significantly lower rate of handwashing with soap and water before prosthesis removal. Additionally, no significant difference was found between the frequencies of den ture removal between the 2 groups. Furthermore, individuals who removed their prostheses more than 2 times a day had an increased rate of handwashing with soap and water. CONCLUSION: To prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, proper hand hygiene is important among individuals wearing removable dentures. Individual hand hygiene habits can affect transmission of the virus. Furthermore, dentists should educate their patients wearing removable dentures regarding proper hand hygiene and denture care to prevent further spread of the virus.