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Auditory function in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
M A Birchall1, R G Wight, P D French
1Department of ENT Surgery, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK.
Clinical Otolaryngology and Allied Sciences
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Hearing function can be impaired in men with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). Approximately one-third of patients showed auditory abnormalities, suggesting potential brain-stem changes, particularly in later disease stages.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Audiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- HIV infection can affect various bodily systems, including the auditory system.
- Previous research suggests potential neurological complications in HIV patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate auditory function in HIV-positive male patients.
- To determine the correlation between auditory abnormalities and the stage of HIV disease.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 18 HIV-positive male patients.
- Auditory assessment using auditory evoked response testing and pure tone audiometry.
- Correlation analysis with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) disease stages and T-cell subsets.
Main Results:
- One-third of patients exhibited abnormalities in auditory evoked response testing or pure tone audiometry.
- No significant correlation was found between auditory nerve signal transmission times and HIV disease stage or T-cell counts.
- A weak correlation was observed between specific pure tone frequency averages and T-cell subset ratios in CDC Group IV disease.
Conclusions:
- Auditory abnormalities are present in a significant portion of HIV-positive males.
- Findings suggest potential isolated brain-stem changes associated with HIV infection.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between HIV and auditory pathway integrity.