Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and COVID-19. Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cases of sudden deafness, tinnitus and vestibular neuritis related to SARS-CoV-2 infection have increased. Objective: Systematic review of published cases of sudden hearing loss in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and discuss the potential association of infection as a possible etiological agent. Material and method: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scielo, without language restriction, including all articles published from March 2020 to 31 January 2022. Results: A total of 16 articles met the inclusion criteria, obtaining 30 patients with sudden deafness and COVID-19. 53% were women and 47% men with a mean age of 46.75 years. 4 patients had cardiovascular risk factors, one asthma, another rheumatoid arthritis and 10 had no history. 25 had unilat-eral deafness and in 5 cases it was bilateral. All degrees of hearing loss were found, from mild to cophosis. Tinnitus was the most associated symptom in half of the patients, accompanied by vertigo in 10%. 14 patients required ICU admission, 9 received no treatment for infection, one patient received hydroxychloroquine, 2 favipavir and enoxaparin and 2 azithromycin and prednisone. The cochlear implant was the treatment of hearing loss in 2 cases, one was treated with hydroxychloroquine and 23 with intravenous and/or oral and/ or intratympanic corticosteroids. Conclusions: Sudden hearing loss is a symptom recently associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and of uncertain prevalence. The presence of hearing loss should be considered as part of the clinical evaluation of these patients to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.