Audiological findings in pediatric perineal allergic rhinitis (house dust mite allergy) patients

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Allergology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Allergic rhinitis, a Type 1 hypersensitivity reaction mediated by IgE, is common in children.
• House dust mite allergy is a frequent cause of allergic rhinitis in pediatric populations.
• The potential impact of allergic rhinitis on auditory function in children requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the audiological functions in children diagnosed with perennial allergic rhinitis due to house dust mite allergy.
• To compare hearing thresholds, otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem responses between allergic children and a healthy control group.

Main Methods:

• High-frequency pure-tone audiometry was performed on 50 children with allergic rhinitis and 20 controls.
• Acoustic reflex, otoacoustic emission (OAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were conducted.
• Statistical analysis compared audiological parameters between the study and control groups.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in hearing thresholds (250–16,000 Hz) between the groups.
• Distortion Product OAE signal-to-noise ratios showed no significant group differences across tested frequencies (996–8,004 Hz).
• Auditory brainstem response latencies and inter-peak values did not differ significantly between children with allergic rhinitis and controls.

Conclusions:

• This is the first study to assess audiological functions in pediatric patients with perennial allergic rhinitis caused by house dust mites.
• Pediatric perennial allergic rhinitis (house dust mite allergy) does not appear to significantly affect audiological functions.
• Further research may explore potential subclinical auditory changes or long-term effects.