Features of sensorineural hearing loss and otitis media with effusion in patients with different variants of coronavirus

Abstract

Objective. To improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment in patients who recovered from COVID-19. Material and methods. The study involved 121 patients with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The patients were divided into groups depending on the strain of coronavirus they had, the severity of the disease, age, the nature of the disturbances in the auditory analyzer, and the timing of seeking medical help. All participants in the study before and after treatment underwent a comprehensive audiological examination, which included tone threshold audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflexometry, and registration of otoacoustic emissions. Results and Discussion. After the transferred omicron strain, bilateral sensorineural, mixed or conductive hearing loss of I and II degrees prevailed. An analysis of the results of examinations of patients who recovered from various strains of coronavirus (with the exception of omicron) demonstrated predominantly unilateral severe manifestations of sensorineural hearing loss (SHL), less often bilateral progressive SHL in older patients. After the transferred Omicron strain, bilateral sensorineural, mixed, or conductive hearing loss of I and II degrees prevailed. Hearing dysfunction in children was detected only in cases of infection with the omicron strain. The effectiveness of treatment depended on the transferred strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the timing of contacting an audiologist. Conclusion. The damaging effect of the SARSCoV-2 virus on the auditory analyzer revealed during the study proves the need for an audiological examination of patients.