A Clinical Study of Effect of Hyperpyrexia on Otoacoustic Emissions in Children

Various degrees of sensory neural hearing loss can be seen in the progression of some hereditary periodic fever syndromes. Otoacoustic emission testing can help to establish the inner ear involvement at an early period of a periodic fever with a risk of hearing loss (Abdul Kadir et al. in J Int Adv Otol 9(2.79):08-11, 2014). Sensorineural hearing loss is the common most complication of bacterial meningitis in childhood (Richardson in Pediatrics 102(6):1364-1368, 1998). When present from birth, or acquired in the pre-school years, hearing loss of any degree, even mild hearing loss, interferes with speech and language development. In addition to obvious communication deficits, the consequences of hearing loss in children and adults include psychosocial problems, such as frustration, irritability, anxiety, the tendency to withdraw from social interactions, and even depression (Dhar and Hall in Otoacoustic emissions: principles, procedures, and protocols, Plural Publishing, San Diego, 2011). OAE are acoustic signals emitted from cochlea to the middle ear and into the external ear where they are recorded. Evoked OAE are undetectable when deafness is above 30-35 dB Sound pressure level (Biswas in Clinical audio-vestibulometry for otologists and neurologists, Bhalani Publishing House, Mumbai, 1995). OAEs permit early detection of inner ear abnormalities associated with a wide variety of diseases and disorders, including Alport syndrome etc. With early detection, the serious consequences of hearing loss can sometimes be prevented. With proper identification and diagnosis of hearing impairment, timely and effective management for the same can be taken. Data for this study was collected from children (5-14 years) attending the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Paediatrics Out-patient departments in P.E.S.I.M.S.R, Kuppam. Among the study population 43 (57.3%) were male and 32 (42.7%) were females showing the slight male preponderance. study was done on children with temperature > 1000 F, children with temperature were screened with OAE, and OAE was recorded in same children once fever has subsided and results were compared. This is a new study where we compared same group of children with fever and once fever has subsided. In most other studies, study group was compared to the healthy control group. In our study, children with fever having abnormal FDP values at f1were 9, they reverted back to base line once fever has subsided. This shows that there is no much damage to inner ear at lower frequencies. Almost 47 abnormal FDP values at f2 reverted back to normal. At higher frequencies (f3 and f4), there is no much change in abnormal FDPs with fever and after fever has subsided, this shows that there is more damage to inner ear at higher frequencies. This study demonstrated that hyperpyrexia causes hearing loss in children with fever probably due to cochlear involvement. We conclude that OAE can be used as a screening tool in detecting hearing loss among children because the technique is simple, reproducible, not expensive, not time consuming also effectively narrows down the children with high chances of hearing loss thereby effectively improves the chances of early diagnosis and hence children can be rehabilitated early, making a marked change in their future.