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Updated: Aug 12, 2026
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 26, 2016
Sensorineural hearing loss in sickle cell disease patients in Sicily
P Samperi1, G Bertuna, G Rossi
1Department of Pediatric, Hematology-Oncology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. psamperi@unict.it
Aim:
Sickle cell disease has been frequently associated with sensorineuronal hearing loss. Several studies have demonstrated a significant prevalence rate of sensorineuronal hearing loss in black patients reporting a range of 11-41%, while few data are reported for white people with Hb S/beta thalassemia. In this paper we evaluated the prevalence of sensorineuronal hearing loss in a Sicilian population affected by sickle cell disease.
Methods:
Otologic and audiologic examinations were performed in 50 patients with S-beta thalassemia (37 with the beta(s)beta(0th) and 13 with the beta(s)beta(+th)) and 23 patients with sickle cell anemia (beta(s)beta(s)) observed at the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Catania.
Results:
A sensorial hearing loss of more than 25 dB was recorded in 24% of subjects with Hb S/beta0-thalassemia, in 23% of subjects with Hb S/beta+-thalassemia and in 30% of subjects with sickle cell anemia. We found an increase in the frequency of hearing loss with increasing age.
Conclusions:
Our data showed that sensorineuronal hearing loss is a common complication in white patients with sickle cell anemia, and in patients with severe forms of Hb S/beta-thalassemias.
