AUDIOMETRIC ASSESSMENT IN POST COVID-19 PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF KARACHI-PAKISTAN

ABSTRACT

Objective: To assess audiometry investigations in patients having complaint of tinnitus, vertigo or hearing impairment after recovery from COVID-19 disease, having no external or middle ear diseases. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study United Medical and Dental College, Creek General hospital, Korangi, Karachi Pakistan, from March to May 2021. Methodology: A total of 60 patients were included in this study who had recovered from the primary COVID-19 infection and reported with the complaints of tinnitus, vertigo and hearing loss. Pure tone audiogram was assessed for sensori-neural deafness, its severity and frequencies affected. Pearson Chi square test was used to see the relation of symptoms with severity of hearing loss. Results: There were 42 (70%) males and 18 (30%) female patients with age range from 18-50 years with mean age of 28.4 ± 8.1 years. Tinnitus was the most common complaint (83.3%) followed by hearing loss (28.3%) and vertigo (23.3%) patients. None of the patients with complaint of hearing loss had normal pure tone audiogram in either right or left ear (p=0.000). Patients with all the three complaints had more hearing impairment where majority had moderate or severe hearing loss (p=0.000). All patients with isolated complaint of vertigo (9 patients) had normal audiogram in both ears (p=0.000). Conclusion: Auditory and vestibular system involvement in reasonably common in COVID-19 patients. Tinnitus is the most frequent symptom and it should be investigated with full audiological investigations. © 2021, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.