Impact on Hearing Among SARS COV-2 Infected Adults and Children Born to Gestational COVID-19 Infected Mothers: A Prospective Case Control Study.

SARS COV 2 infection affects primarily the respiratory system and various organs in humans is responsible for higher mortality secondary to cytokine storm during the COVID-19 pandemic. It affects the internal auditory system is responsible for Sensory neural hearing loss in adults as well as children born to COVID-19 infected mothers. This study was aimed to detect the pattern of hearing loss in COVID-19 infected adults and pattern of hearing loss in children born to gestational COVID-19 infected mothers. Fifty asymptomatic RT-PCR COVID-19 infected adults and age, sex matched healthy controls were evaluated for audiological profile using Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA). Children born to COVID-19 infected mothers were tested using Transient product otoacoustic emissions and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) compared with children born to non-COVID mothers. PTA auditory profile of COVID-19 infected adults on day 7 had 30% (16 out of 50) significant high frequency sensory neural hearing impairment for 4000 Hz (p value 0.003), 6000 Hz (p value 0.001), 8000 Hz (p value 0.001). Repeat PTA testing on day 30 showed normal hearing. Whereas in children, 40% (n = 20) born to COVID-19 infected mothers had OAE as "Refer". BERA (ABRs) testing of that OAE "Refer" children revealed 30% (n = 6) hearing impairment. COVID-19 infection cause transient type of high frequency sensory neural hearing loss in adults. Whereas in children born to COVID-19 infected mothers there is risk of developing permanent, progressive or long-standing transient type of sensory neural hearing loss.

3D Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Therapy for Patients with Vertigo Due to Peripheral Vestibular Dysfunction.

This study aimed to evaluate 3D virtual reality rehabilitation therapy in patients with vertigo due to peripheral vestibular dysfunction. The subjects were 20 patients with peripheral vestibular dysfunction confirmed by Videonystagmography, Divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (study group) underwent vestibular rehabilitation therapy using 3D virtual reality in a customised VR lab with specific headset (Oculus rift and htc vive) with software application, which allows vestibular rehabilitation treatment using high quality immersive virtual reality console in which environment appears real and in 3D. The exercises are designed for gaze stability, increase postural stability, improve vertigo and daily activities, through sensory stimuli and in addition to conventional Cawthorne-Choksey exercises. Group 2 (control group) are treated by conventional Cawthorne-Choksey exercises alone. A VSS-SF (Vertigo Symptom Scale-short form) questionnaire and VAS (Visual Analog Scale) were used to assess the levels of patient satisfaction compared before and after each treatment session in both groups. A significant higher level of subjective satisfaction was observed in patients who underwent 3D virtual reality rehabilitation therapy with conventional therapy (group 1) compared to patients who underwent conventional cawthorne-Choksey exercises alone (group 2). The study gave a substantial subjective satisfaction in patients using 3D virtual reality rehabilitation therapy with conventional therapy (group1) than conventional Cawthorne-Choksey exercises alone (group 2). Future of VR rehabilitation therapy brings a revolutionary novelty in field of rehabilitation therapy were it involves real time stimulation and interaction between sensory, motor and cognitive channels.