Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T22:38:18.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

No lasting impact of Covid-19 on the auditory system: a prospective cohort study

Part of: JLO Coronavirus Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2021

S Hassani ,
M Lazem  and
Z Jafari Open the ORCID record for Z Jafari [Opens in a new window]
S Hassani
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
M Lazem
Affiliation:
Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran
Z Jafari*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Zahra Jafari, Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada E-mail: zahra.jafari@uleth.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Otological complications are considered early symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; however, it is unknown how long these symptoms last and whether the virus leaves any hearing disorders post-recovery.

Methods

This prospective cohort study comprised 31 mild or moderate confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 patients and 26 age-matched control peers (21–50 years old). Patients were questioned about their otological symptoms, and their hearing status was assessed during one month post-diagnosis.

Results

Patients showed a significantly higher rate of otological symptoms (hearing loss, ear fullness, ear pain, dizziness or vertigo, communication difficulties, and hyperacusis) versus the control group (p ≤ 0.022). The symptoms resolved early, between 2 and 8 days after their appearance. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in pure tone and extended high-frequency audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, or auditory brainstem response following recovery.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that, in mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 cases, otological symptoms resolve within a week, and the virus has no lasting impact on the auditory system.

Keywords

COVID-19SARS-CoV-2Hearing LossTinnitusDizzinessAudiometry, Pure-ToneOtoacoustic EmissionsAuditory Brainstem Responses
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 135 , Issue 12 , December 2021 , pp. 1063 - 1068
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Dr Z Jafari takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

References

Corman, VM, Muth, D, Niemeyer, D, Drosten, C. Hosts and sources of endemic human coronaviruses. Adv Virus Res 2018;100:163–88CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Seah, I, Agrawal, R. Can the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affect the eyes? A review of coronaviruses and ocular implications in humans and animals. Ocular Immun Inflamm 2020;28:391–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pascarella, G, Strumia, A, Piliego, C, Bruno, F, Del Buono, R, Costa, F et al. COVID-19 diagnosis and management: a comprehensive review. J Intern Med 2020;288:192–206CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yuki, K, Fujiogi, M, Koutsogiannaki, S. COVID-19 pathophysiology: a review. Clin Immun 2020;215:108427CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gandhi, RT, Lynch, JB, Del Rio, C. Mild or moderate Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2020;383:1757–66CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wu, Z, McGoogan, JM. Characteristics of and important lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China: summary of a report of 72314 cases from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA 2020;323:1239–42CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Agyeman, AA, Chin, KL, Landersdorfer, CB, Liew, D, Ofori-Asenso, R. Smell and taste dysfunction in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Mayo Clin Proc 2020;95:1621–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rocke, J, Hopkins, C, Philpott, C, Kumar, N. Is loss of sense of smell a diagnostic marker in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Otolaryngol 2020;45:914–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Samaranayake, LP, Fakhruddin, KS, Panduwawala, C. Sudden onset, acute loss of taste and smell in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): a systematic review. Acta Odontol Scand 2020;78:467–73CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abboud, H, Abboud, FZ, Kharbouch, H, Arkha, Y, El Abbadi, N, El Ouahabi, A. COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection: pathophysiology and clinical effects on the nervous system. World Neurosurg 2020;140:49–53CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aghagoli, G, Gallo Marin, B, Katchur, NJ, Chaves-Sell, F, Asaad, WF, Murphy, SA. Neurological involvement in COVID-19 and potential mechanisms: a review. Neurocrit Care 2021;34:1062–71CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Santos, REA, da Silva, MG, do Monte Silva, MCB, Barbosa, DAM, Gomes, A, Galindo, LCM et al. Onset and duration of symptoms of loss of smell/taste in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review. Am J Otolaryngol 2021;42:102889CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baig, AM, Khaleeq, A, Ali, U, Syeda, H. Evidence of the COVID-19 virus targeting the CNS: tissue distribution, host-virus interaction, and proposed neurotropic mechanisms. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020;11:995–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, D, Hu, B, Hu, C, Zhu, F, Liu, X, Zhang, J et al. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA 2020;323:1061–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, W, Moore, MJ, Vasilieva, N, Sui, J, Wong, SK, Berne, MA et al. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is a functional receptor for the SARS coronavirus. Nature 2003;426:450–4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoffmann, M, Kleine-Weber, H, Schroeder, S, Krüger, N, Herrler, T, Erichsen, S et al. SARS-CoV-2 cell entry depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and is blocked by a clinically proven protease inhibitor. Cell 2020;181:271–80.e8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wrapp, D, Wang, N, Corbett, KS, Goldsmith, JA, Hsieh, CL, Abiona, O et al. Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation. Science 2020;367:1260–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Almufarrij, I, Munro, KJ. One year on: an updated systematic review of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and audio-vestibular symptoms. Int J Audiol 2021. Epub 22 Mar 2021CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jafari, Z, Kolb, BE, Mohajerani, MH. Hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Can J Neurol Sci 2021. Epub 12 April 2021Google Scholar
Chern, A, Famuyide, AO, Moonis, G, Lalwani, AK. Bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss and intralabyrinthine hemorrhage in a patient with COVID-19. Otol Neurotol 2021;42:e10–14CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunay, E, Kozan, G, Yuksel, E, Mizrakli, A, Aslan, O, Kavak, S et al. A case of peritoneal dialysis in which SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed by sudden hearing loss. Ren Fail 2021;43:325–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamounier, P, Franco Gonçalves V, Ramos, HVL, Gobbo, DA, Teixeira, RP, Dos Reis, PC et al. A 67-year-old woman with sudden hearing loss associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Am J Case Rep 2020;21:e927519CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abdel Rhman, S, Abdel Wahid, A. COVID-19 and sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a case report. Otolaryngol Case Rep 2020;16:100198CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koumpa, FS, Forde, CT, Manjaly, JG. Sudden irreversible hearing loss post-COVID-19. BMJ Case Rep 2020;13:e238419CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lang, B, Hintze, J, Conlon, B. Coronavirus disease 2019 and sudden sensorineural hearing loss. J Laryngol Otol 2020;134:1026–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karimi-Galougahi, M, Naeini, AS, Raad, N, Mikaniki, N, Ghorbani, J. Vertigo and hearing loss during the COVID-19 pandemic - is there an association? Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2020;40:463–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mustafa, MWM. Audiological profile of asymptomatic Covid-19 PCR-positive cases. Am J Otolaryngol 2020;41:102483CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dror, A, Kassis-Karayanni, N, Oved, A, Daoud, A, Eisenbach, N, Mizrachi, M et al. Auditory performance in recovered SARS-COV-2 patients. Otol Neurotol 2021;45:666–70Google Scholar
Schlauch, R, Nelson, P. Puretone evaluation. In: Katz, J, Chasin, M, English, K, Hood, L, Tillery, K, eds. Handbook of Clinical Audiology, 7th edn. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health, 2015;38Google Scholar
Jafari, Z, Copps, T, Hole, G, Kolb, BE, Mohajerani, MH. Noise damage accelerates auditory aging and tinnitus: a Canadian population-based study. Otol Neurotol 2020;41:1316–26CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Omidvar, S, Jafari, Z, Mahmoudian, S, Khabazkhoob, M, Ahadi, M, Yazdani, N. The relationship between ultra-high frequency thresholds and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in adults with tinnitus. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2016;30:449Google ScholarPubMed
American National Standards Institute. American National Standard Maximum Permissible Ambient Noise Levels for Audiometric Test Rooms (ANSI S3.1 1-1999). New York: American National Standards Institute, 1999Google Scholar
Prieve, B, Fitzgerald, T. Otoacoustic emissions. In: Katz, J, Medwetsky, L, Burkard, R, Hood, L, eds. Handbook of Clinical Audiology, 6th edn. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 2015;357–80Google Scholar
Jafari, Z, Malayeri, S. Effects of congenital blindness on the subcortical representation of speech cues. Neuroscience 2014;258:401–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jafari, Z, Malayeri, S, Rostami, R. Subcortical encoding of speech cues in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Clin Neurophysiol 2015;126:325–32CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Omidvar, S, Mahmoudian, S, Khabazkhoob, M, Ahadi, M, Jafari, Z. Tinnitus impacts on speech and non-speech stimuli. Otol Neurotol 2018;39:e921–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, DP, Hillier, VF. A scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire. Psycho Med 1979;9:139–45CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goldberg, DP, Williams, P. A User's Guide to the General Health Questionnaire. London: Nfer-Nelson, 1991Google Scholar
Likert, R. A technique for the measurement of attitudes. Arch Psychol 1932;22:55Google Scholar
Noorbala, AA, Bagheri Yazdi, SA, Yasamy, MT, Mohammad, K. Mental health survey of the adult population in Iran. Br J Psychiatry 2004;184:70–3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Uranaka, T, Kashio, A, Ueha, R, Sato, T, Bing, H, Ying, G et al. Expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2, and furin in mouse ear tissue, and the implications for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Laryngoscope 2021;131:E2013–17CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Delgado-Roche, L, Mesta, F. Oxidative stress as key player in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. Arch Med Res 2020;51:384–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hussain, T, Tan, B, Yin, Y, Blachier, F, Tossou, MC, Rahu, N. Oxidative stress and inflammation: what polyphenols can do for us? Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016;2016:7432797CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cazzolla, AP, Lovero, R, Lo Muzio, L, Testa, NF, Schirinzi, A, Palmieri, G et al. Taste and smell disorders in COVID-19 patients: role of interleukin-6. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020;11:2774–81CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neri, S, Signorelli, S, Pulvirenti, D, Mauceri, B, Cilio, D, Bordonaro, F et al. Oxidative stress, nitric oxide, endothelial dysfunction and tinnitus. Free Rad Res 2006;40:615–18CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Masuda, M, Kanzaki, S, Minami, S, Kikuchi, J, Kanzaki, J, Sato, H et al. Correlations of inflammatory biomarkers with the onset and prognosis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Otol Neurotol 2012;33:1142–50CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hamming, I, Timens, W, Bulthuis, ML, Lely, AT, Navis, G, van Goor, H. Tissue distribution of ACE2 protein, the functional receptor for SARS coronavirus. A first step in understanding SARS pathogenesis. J Pathol 2004;203:631–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yoshimura, H, Takumi, Y, Nishio, SY, Suzuki, N, Iwasa, Y, Usami, S. Deafness gene expression patterns in the mouse cochlea found by microarray analysis. PloS One 2014;9:e92547CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cure, E, Cumhur Cure, M. Comment on “Hearing loss and COVID-19: A note”. Am J Otolaryngol 2020;41:102513CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carlile, S, Bascom, DA, Paterson, DJ. The effect of acute hypoxia on the latency of the human auditory brainstem evoked response. Acta Otolaryngol 1992;112:939–45CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haupt, H, Scheibe, F, Ludwig, C. Changes in cochlear oxygenation, microcirculation and auditory function during prolonged general hypoxia. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 1993;250:396–400CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lv, H, Zhang, W, Zhu, Z, Xiong, Q, Xiang, R, Wang, Y et al. Prevalence and recovery time of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. Int J Infect Dis 2020;100:507–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chary, E, Carsuzaa, F, Trijolet, JP, Capitaine, AL, Roncato-Saberan, M, Fouet, K et al. Prevalence and recovery from olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions in Covid-19 infection: a prospective multicenter study. Am J Rhinol Allergy 2020;34:686–93CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hjelle, EG, Bragstad, LK, Zucknick, M, Kirkevold, M, Thommessen, B, Sveen, U. The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) as an outcome measurement in a randomized controlled trial in a Norwegian stroke population. BMC Psychology 2019;7:18CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kołodziejczyk, A, Misiak, B, Szcześniak, D, Maciaszek, J, Ciułkowicz, M, Łuc, D et al. Coping styles, mental health, and the COVID-19 quarantine: a nationwide survey in Poland. Front Psychiatry 2021;12:625355CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babicki, M, Szewczykowska, I, Mastalerz-Migas, A. Mental health in the era of the second wave of SARS-CoV-2: a cross-sectional study based on an online survey among online respondents in Poland. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:2522CrossRefGoogle Scholar