COVID-19 during pregnancy and its impact on the developing auditory system.

BACKGROUND: This study compared distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) recorded from infants whose mother had Covid-19 during pregnancy (Covid-19 group) to infants whose mother did not have Covid-19 (Control group) during pregnancy. METHODS: This study retrospectively examined records of infants in the Covid-19 group (n = 15) and control group (n = 46) who had distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) recorded as part of their clinical assessment. DPOAE amplitudes, absolute latencies (I, III, and V), and I-V interpeak intervals were examined. RESULTS: DPOAE amplitudes were similar between the Covid-19 group and the control group. The absolute latency of wave I was similar between groups. But absolute latencies III and V and I-V interpeak intervals of the Covid-19 group were significantly prolonged compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Covid-19 infection and its complications during pregnancy may not affect the cochlear function but may affect the functioning of the auditory brainstem.

Audiological findings in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19.

PURPOSE: It is thought that COVID-19 may cause hearing loss, but its effects on the hearing system are not clear. This study aimed to reveal the effects of COVID-19 on the auditory system by using various audiological measurement methods in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. METHODS: Thirty individuals between the ages of 18-45, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 by PCR at least one month ago, and had no pre-COVID-19 hearing loss complaints, constituted the test group. Thirty individuals aged between 18 and 30 years and who had no history of hearing loss constituted the control group. Audiological evaluations of all participants were made with pure-tone audiometry, high-frequency audiometry, transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between the groups at all high frequencies between 4 and 14 kHz (p < 0.05). TEOAE amplitudes at 1500 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz frequencies and DPOAE amplitudes at 4003 Hz and higher frequencies were significantly lower in the test group (p < 0.05). While there was a significant difference between the I, III and V absolute latencies between the groups (p < 0.05), there was no significant difference between the I-III, III-V and I-V interpeak latencies (p > 0.05) as a result of the ABR test. CONCLUSION: This study showed that COVID-19 can cause cochlear damage, especially at high frequencies. More studies are needed to determine the effects of COVID-19 on the auditory system.

Comparison of pure tone audiometry thresholds and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) of patients with and without Covid-19 pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the new coronavirus that starts similar to an upper respiratory tract infection and causes death by causing pneumonia and vasculopathy. Many viral infections are known to cause hearing loss. In this study, pure-tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE) results were compared across patients with COVID-19 disease and COVID-19 pneumonia, and control group patients. METHODS: The study included 240 patients in the age range of 18-50 years. The patients were divided into three groups of 80 patients as the control (no disease), COVID-19 (nonpneumonia), Covid-19 (pneumonia) groups. PTA and TEOAE tests were performed on the control group patients and the results were recorded. PTA and TEOAE tests were performed in the COVID-19 groups in the first and third months after the infection ended. Each test was performed twice; the results were recorded, and the mean of the two results was calculated. RESULTS: PTA results and TEOAE amplitudes in the first and third months were not significantly different between the COVID-19 non-pneumonia group and the control group (p > 0.05), between the COVID-19 pneumonia group and the control group (p > 0.05), and between the COVID-19 non-pneumonia group and the COVID-19 pneumonia group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite minimal impairment and minimal amplitude decreases in patients, who recovered from COVID-19, such changes were found to become restored in the third month. Furthermore, no significant changes were observed to indicate COVID-19- associated hearing loss.

Does COVID-19 have an impact on hearing?

BACKGROUNDS: SARS-CoV-2 is known to be a neurotrophic virus. However, the effect of this virus on the hearing system is still uncertain. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the possible effect of COVID-19 on hearing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty healthcare workers who had COVID-19 after hearing evaluation with pure tone audiometry (PTA) for any reason in the last 1 year were included in the study. PTA and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) tests were performed in 15 of 30 patients during the active infection period. For all 30 patients, otoscopic examination plus PTA and TEOAE tests were performed at the end of the first month after their treatment. RESULTS: When the PTA results of 30 patients (60 ears) before and after COVID-19 were compared, a significant decrease in hearing level was found only at 1000 Hz (p < .05). There were no significant differences at other frequencies. When the PTA and TEAOE test results of 15 patients (30 ears) that were performed during and after COVID-19 were compared, no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that COVID-19 may cause hearing loss. However, this result needs to be confirmed with comprehensive studies to be conducted in larger patient groups.

Audiological profile of asymptomatic Covid-19 PCR-positive cases.

OBJECTIVE: The current study compared the amplitude of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and thresholds of pure-tone audiometry between asymptomatic COVID-19 PCR-positive cases and normal non-infected subjects. METHODS: Twenty cases who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 and had none of the known symptoms for this viral infection formed the test group. Their age ranged between 20 and 50 years to avoid any age-related hearing affection. Patients who had definite symptoms of COVID-19 infection as well as those who had a history of hearing loss or a history of any known cause of hearing loss were excluded from the examined sample. TEOAEs amplitude was measured for all participants. RESULTS: The high frequency pure-tone thresholds as well as the TEOAE amplitudes were significantly worse in the test group. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 infection could have deleterious effects on cochlear hair cell functions despite being asymptomatic. The mechanism of these effects requires further research.